THAMES NEWS.

THE THAMES ELECTION.

CIO^RiEIOTEiD' RETURNS.

Mai RHODES' MAJORITY DlEh

ORIEASEID.

RaOOEB, '21774; TAYfLOII?, 2712!

In connection with the Thames election an interesting "and important discovery was made to-day by Mir J. Jordan, Registi-ar of Electors, who is busily engaged in checking the fig ures prior to the* scrutiny of the votes that must take place before the official announcement of- the result of the election takes place. .Ait the 'Courthouse,'' Thaanesy where there were three polling] booths, the slip giving the electoral" 1 returns ' from No. 2 booth was mislaid. In the rush of telegrams that occurred shortly before 8 o'clock' the return wia 13. covei'ed over Iby a, sheaf of wires before it was entered and hence the discrepancy. This gave the polling at this particular 'booth as under; Taylor 182, Rhodes ISS, "reducing.Mi* Rhodes/ majority by 2i7. It was also discovered to-day that in the returns—which it* should be remembered are quite unofficial and are merely made available for public convenience and so, that the position may be gauged before the official declaration . is''made —one from No. 4 booth at the Lecture Hall had beefi wrongly stated. The figures &&_ taken from this particular portion of the polling place were Taylor 136, IRJhodes 80, whereas the figures should have been Taylor 163, Rlhodes 89. Here again Mr Taylor secured'a majority of "2i7, making a. difference of 54 in all.

The totals up-to-date now are— " Rhodes 21774 Taylor ...*2i712 Majority for Rhodes 62 The aibove will, explain the apparent discrepancy between the electoral ! and licensing papers at the Courthouse and with the infdraiial votes, which ha,ve been excluded, will bring the total number of votes recorded in the electoral and licensing poll sou.:cwhat/on a. par. 'Other small errors may: be found, but it can be seen that the above fig ures explains the apparent hiatus in the figures of two issues, and any further alterations made are not Ukdly to make any material difference in the result—the official result of which will !be awaited with added intweet.