MAYORAL ELECTION.

/ Tlie official deelaraf ion of the poll incon- / .nection with the Municipal election took / place at noon to-day, and the ofti-rial stateI ment of the total number of votes polled afc I least serves to show that the statements of I results as issued by enthusiastic committeeI men arc by no means reliable. At the time I I appointed, Mr G. Leslie Lee announced the V .numbers as follows : — V C.T. Ick (501 \^ Henry Thomson 313 Majority 258 The announcement was received with a burst of hearty cheering from the large -crowd which had assembled, and on quiet being restored the Returning Officer formally declared Councillor Ick duly elected to the Mayoralty for the ensuing year. The Mayor elect returned his grateful -thanks for the honour which had been conferred upon him by placing him in so proud a position, a result wliich he held to be in--dicative that the public would not permit old servants to lose their due reward. It would not become him in the moment of victory to -say one word in disparagement of his opponent, or of the opposition squibs which had been put forth to damage him in his political position. And indeed he believed that these things had in reality done liim a great deal of good. He was, Be believed, too well known here to •Tun the risk of being injured by ftich ft oourse of action, and he most conclude dhat the gentlemen who put forth those

effusions were amongst the best friends he had. He had been aided by the, inherent principle that men who were' put imon were certain of obtaining the support of all true Britishers. He would, assure his hearers that he should go into the mayoral chair a perfectly impartial and unfettered man; he begged them to believe that,— and he should do his duty in that position without fear or favour to any one. (A voice : What do you think of that, Briggs ?) It was not in mor v tals to command success, but he would do hii utmost to deserve it, and specially by seeking to carry out a few good measures rather than tinkering at a great lot. (A voice: I hope you'll get rid of the Surly Club. Roars of laughter.) The all-important question of an efficient water supply would have his support, provided that the scheme which might be proposed did not involve too great an expenditure, and had the approbation of the ratepayers ; for it was to be borne in mind that all matters involving a large outlay must be submitted to 'the people. (A voice: Like the Morton's block business.) The erection of suitable buildings for municipal purposes was also a matter which would engage his attention, and liave from him that support which so important a measure demanded. The present old, shocking, and tumble-down structure he looked upon as an utter disgrace to the City. He would not now further enlarge upon the topics which suggested themselves. He could assure the ratepayers that his best energies would be devoted fco their services. He had but little te recommend him ; he was a plain man of business, as was his father before him, and he wonld endeavour to do his duty to the utmost of his ability. (Cheers.) His Worship the Mayor then addressed the audience, premising that he did not deem ifc necessary for a beaten candidate to make a long speech, and that — at that time of the day— he would best be consulting the interests and wishes of those present by making his remarks as brief as possible. He specially desired to say tbat he entertained no animosity against those who had opposed him. He believed that some of his warmest friends had voted against him, and if they had acted conscientiously in so doing, he certainly had no fault to find with tbem. He desired to entirely absolve his opponent from any complicity in the squibs which had been published, and for himself, he had been fire times before the public, and on no occasion had he ever written or published a single line which could in any degree tell against another. It was solely on his own merits thafc he wanted to rise, and nofc on the disparagement of his fellow-citizens. In none of his elections had he ever employed a scrutineer, as he had always placed faith in the honour and integrity of the Returning Officer. He eaid this in consequence of the aspersion which had been cast upon that gentleman, but, at the same time, he did not think that what had been said was at the time intended to take the direction and significance which had been imparted to it. He begged to propose a hearty vote of thanks to the Returning Officer. Tlie Mayor elect begged to second the vote of thanks to Mr Leslie Lee, whom he believed to bea gentleman of the highest integrity. He did nofc for one moment imagine that the remarks which had been made were intended to refer to the Returning Officer ; and no one he was persuaded could for one moment imagine that Mr Lee was a gentleman who would do any wrong. (Cheers.) Mr Leslie Lee thanked the Mayor elect, and the Mayor for the vote of thanks, and the^ assembled ratepayers for the way in which they had received the proposition. He did nofc for one moment imagine that the remarks in question were in the least degree intended to refer to him. He had for many years conducted elections in Christchurch and elsewheie, and there had never been any cavil regarding any of his actions. He might he permitted to add thafc even if there had been some irregularity in any of the city elections it would be excusable, owing to the great difficulty there was in conducting an election properly in thafc building. There was not room for the maintenance of the strict supervision desirable, and he was exceedingly glad to hear Mr fok say that it was his intention to take some steps in the matter. He sincerely honed that before the next election new municipal offices 1 w_mld have been erected. (Cheers.) . The proceedings then terminated, and those more immediately interested in the election proceeded to the discussion of a case Of champagne, which the Mayor elect had provided in anticipation of a favourable result.