CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL ELECTION.

The poll for the election of four members to serve in the City Council was taken yesterday. The poll commenced at 10 a.m., and was closed at 4 p.m. Mr. Luck, the Chairman of the City Council presided. Dr. Foster, the legal adviser of the Council was present, as was also Mr. G. Gordon, the Town Clerk. Mr. Blanchard acted as polling-clerk. Only a few persons were present to vote, and very little interest was manifested in the proceedings. At 4.15 p.m. the Chairman declared the result of the poll, which was as follows :— Alport, 56 ; Barnard, 54 ; Duncan, 48 ; Ruddenklau, 39 ; St. Quentin, 38. Mr. Alport briefly returned thanks to the electors, for placing him in the position which he then occupied, Itwouldbehisstudytomake the City Council what he was convinced it ought to be, one of the most useful institutions of the province. He was sure that it would eventually be found to be the best society for the.protection of the ratepayers. Mr. Barnard thanked his fellow-electors for having, for the third time, deemed him worthy of their confidence. He would endeavour, in the course of his official career, to do all in his power to further the interests of the inhabitants of the city. He had always endeavoured to out down expenses, and should continue to pursue the same line of action. Mr. Duncan remarked that this was the first occasion on which he had addressed a public assembly. He hoped that those who were acquainted with his antecedents would bear him out in the assertion which he was about to make-i~that in the various committees on which he had been employed, he had endeavoured to discharge his duties to the utmost of his ability, and he promised his fellow-electors that he would try to employ the same zeal and energy which he had bestowed upon other matters, for the furtherance of the welfare of the city of Christchurch.

Mr. W. Wilson returned thanks on behalf of Mr. Ruddenklau, who was prevented from being present. He (Mr. W.) observed that Mr. Ruddenklau was a remarkably shrewd, intelligent man. He had discharged tbe duties of president of the Licensed Victuallers' Association to the satisfaction of that body, and it might fairly be assumed that lie would prove a useful member of the Council. Mr. St. Qubntin, as the unsuccessful candidate, was desirous of saying a few words. He thanked those electors who had supported him, and he hoped on a future occasion to be more fortunate than he had been on the present one. He might again solicit their suffrages, and he trusted that, if elected, his fellow-citizens would have no cause to regret having chosen him as their representative. Mr. Wilson proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Luck, for the able manner with which he had conducted the business of that day and of the one previous. For his own part, he had expected a display of angry feeling and of some degree of acrimony, but he had been agreeably disappointed, for the whole proceedings had been conducted in a friendly and airiicable spirit, which showed that, whatever differences of opinion might exist, there was really a spirit of union and friendship between all classes of the inhabitants.

it Mr. Lock briefly acknowledged the compliment. He had great pleasure in thoroughly endorsing the sentiments of Mr. Alport, that the City Council would prove themselves in the end the real Ratepayer's Protection Society. He had been repeatedly told that theH :ity Council was a myth, yet he and his fellow members stood before their fellow ratepayers that day as a living reality. As regarded himself, his office had expired; he was no longer the Chairman of the Council. His only remaining official duty would bo to announce to the Town Clerk the names of the gentlemen elected as members Whether he was elected to fill the position of Chairman or whether he should only occupy the seat of any ordinary member of the Council, he would pledge himself to do all in his power for the promotion of the welfare of Chriatchurch and of its inhabitants. The proceedings then terminated.