DECLARATION OF THE POLL.

On Saturday morning last, a number^jpf the electors assembled outside tb^esidenCMagistrates Court, for the purpose of hearing 1 the official declaration of the Poll. At 10 o'clock, B. A. Fsrard, Esq., the Beturaing Officer, ascended the hustings, and read the following return : — I.E. Featherslon 313 W.W. Taylor 309 W. B. Rhodes 302 W. Bowler 225 E. J. Wakefield .... „ 206 R. Park 201 And declared I. E. Featherston, W. ;W. Taylor an:l W. B. Rhodes, Esquires, as having the of votes, to be duly elected to serve as Representatives for the City of Wellington, in. the House of Representatives. Dr. Featherstox thanked the electors in words to the following effect; Gentlemen, I have now the pleasing duty to return you my grateful thanks for the high, honor you have conferred upon me in returning me, for the fourth time, as your Representatives. I thank you more cordially for having returned, me with Mr. Taylor and Captain Rhodes as my colleagues,—gentlemen holding the same views and opinions, on all important topics, as myself. I thank you more heartily and cordially for, having returned us by such amajority as proves that we truly represent the electors of Welling--ton (cheers). I especially thank you gontlemen, because by that triumph'int majority you have secured the election of the other six constitutionalist candidates for the Province. For now, virtually, there are elected nine members for the Province of one mind. 1 will not detain you ; but again I thank you most cordially and most gratefully for having secured the prosperity of Wellington (great applause). Mr. W. W. Ta.ylob then came forward to return thanks. He said : Brother Electors. I thank you most sincerely for the distinguished honor you have done me in returning me as one of your Representatives in the General Assembly. I thank you especially for having returned me with two colleagues, determined to carry out the policy enunciated by them during the past Session. The result of the election is nuw already apparent. The Hutt has -returned two Constitutionalist candidates, Mr. Carter has been uuopposed in the Wairarapa (cheer*.) and I venture to predict that, the result of the past contest will |have a favourable in* flueuce uporrthe elections in the other provinces. I again thank you most sincerely for having returned me as one of your Representatives, and I assure you that I shall [at all times use my best endeavours to forward the interests and to promote the prosperity of this Province, and of the city .of Wellington in particular (Great applause). Captain Rhodes also returned thanks. He said, Brother Electors, — I thank you most heartily for having for the third time returned me as your Representative. Ido so now with more pleasure for having returned with me two such colleagues as Dr. Featherston and Mr. Taylor, and for having placed my hon. friend Dr. Featherston in his proper place — a place which he always has held, and I am confident always will hold — at the head of the poll, (Great cheering.) I have received letters from an influential gentleman at Auckland, from which I learn that no more than two or three supporters of the Stafford Ministry will be returned for that Province. With these facts before us we may confidently predict that great changes will soon take place — that a high state of prosperity will soon again occur to Wellington and that we shall soon see public works resumed. This isnot a time for speechifying, but for doing, but I have one word for those who have not used their suffrages, and that is, we are still their Representatives, and I trust we shall ever be found zealous , in promoting their interests (cheers). Now that the election is over, I trmt you will heal* up all party sores, and, as you have seen myself and my political opponent, Mr. Bowler, do, you will all do — shake hands and be friends (Applause.) Mr. Bowler said: Brother Electors, I appear before you, I candidly confess, a beaten candidate, yet I cannot allow this opportunity to pass without expressing to those 225 electors who voted for me my sincere thanks. Of course in matters of private life and private friendship it will not make the slightest difference -which way you roted, but I thank you for having accorded me such a measure of support — greater than either of my colleagues, Mr. Wakefield and Mr. Park. I never courted the suffrages of any man who would divide his vote (cheeks) ; those who did so have acted purely from motives of friendship. I have one word to the uon-electors. I think you ought to have been on the roll, and I say to you register, and record your vote against me, rather, than lose the privilege of the franchise (cheers?) I thank you most cordially on my own behalf, and on behalf of my two friends, who I see are not here. For my own part I would have come forward to thank you had I been at the bottom of the poll, with only one vote. (Cheers.) Dr. Featherston proposed, and Mb. Bowler seconded a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, a compliment which that gentleman briefly acknowledged, and the meetiug then separated.