The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1913. The Elections.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2062, 1 May 1913, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1913. The Elections.

The great day in local government— probably, taking the Dominion as a whole, the most interesting general election yet held—has come and gone, and left behind it an aftermath of joy and sorrow, of relief and disappointment. Joy for the victory, regrets for the defeated. The shopkeepers of Feilding and Palmerston are feeling good this morning, because the weekly half-holiday has not been disturbed. The Universalists are not altogether down-hearted, because they,have a feeling that Saturday will yet come to them. Christchurch, by an extraordinarily heavy majority, decided yesterday upon the Saturday observance, instead of Thursday. Feilding paid a fine tribute to Mr John Cobbe by voting heavily for his return, and wo extend our hearty congratulations to that gentleman upon his topping the' poll f.or the Harbour Board, and also congratulate Mr Cohen upon his welldeserved re-election. Mr Harford, as we anticipated, was returned for tlie Hospital Board. But the star event of the day was the contest for the Mayoralty, in which enthusiasm such as Feilding had never previously experienced was shown, not only by the workers for both Mr Goodbehere and Mr Ongley, but also by the public. The polling booth and its precincts were thronged with people all day, and the crowd was abroad again at night, to hear the results of all the day's excitements. The workers for both sides were exceedingly active, and neither candidate can do anything but render their best I thanks to. those enthusiasts. The heavy polling—easily a record for ■ Feilding—is a tribute to the energies 'of both committees, and also to the Half-holiday Leagues, not only in putting names on the roll, but in bringing voters to the booths. Tlie win scored by Mr Ongley—who -so often has carried the club colours lie and his workers wore to victory- - is a splendid tribute to a young man in a straight-out contest against a veteran municipailer, and one who has been associated with Feilding all his life. It is but another instance of the axiom that youth will tell, plus the desire of burgesses for a change. Mr Goodbehere at no time in. his long public life in. Feilding has shown to better advantage than he did last night in acknowledging defeat. He showed a splendid spirit in his farewell speech, and the high and impersonal tone lie took was a very model for men who arc beaten, but who would go out with all the honours and none of that bitterness of defeat that so frequently mars the men who have lost. We do not think Feilding folks have made any sort of mistake in electing Mr Ongley to tho highest office they have it in their gift to bestow. lie is n young man, who has done well as v councillor in his apprenticeship for the chair which we feel sure he will fill with credit to himself and with benefit to the borough as a. whole. Mayor Ongley will have with him an excellent Council, with fivcuinths new blood in Councillors AY. F. Bramwell and Eliott (who topped tho poll in that order, Cr. Bramwell having a very solid lead), Penney, Worsfold, and Burne. To these gentlemen, and to those re-elected GYs. Richmond, Heald, and Harford) we offer hearty congratulations.