DUNSTAN RIDING ELECTION.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1107, 21 November 1917, Page 5

DUNSTAN RIDING ELECTION.

DECLARATION: OF POLL. Wednesday 7 p.m. The main street of Clyde looked quiet with little indication, that the announcement of an election poll was expected any moment. Yet when the side door of the- Town;., Hall opened and Mr John Dickie appeared, men seemed to spring up from nowhere, till quite a little crowd gathered round the Officer to bear the verdictAmong the crowd were the candidates and a glance at their faces revealed their interest. Quietly the name 3 and numbers were given. S. T. Spain 118, A. J. Sullivan 33 and the crowd looked, puzzled. Could they believe their earsl What about the class go 1 Had fcfciy heard aright. Surely not, so the figures were called for again. , No! no error. A majority of 83 right enough. Mr Spaiu was visibly dumfoundSd, so much so that when he came to reply he did not know what to say. : He'expressed his surprise at the result," his pleasure on receiving such ia big vote, and promised to do his best to merit and be worthy of the unbounded confidence, which they had that day expressed.—(Cheers). Mr Sullivan then stepped forward and was warmly greeted. One felt sorry for him for he deserved better. But listen! His reply is one every defeated candidate -would do well to copy. In opposing the sitting member he said he recognised he was up against a stiff" proposition.. The ..contest had been clean and free from feeling on both sides He accepted the verdict and bore the successful candidate no malice. He thanked those, who had voted for" him and'if at any future occasion he was a candidate, he hoped he could again count on their loyal Support.—(Cheers.) A concise and gentlemanly speech. Some defeated* candidates disappear,- others would have done themselves better to have disappeared, but Mr Sullivan's brief reply did him credit, a 'triumph in defeat' so to speak. The crowd broke up into groups, to. discuss the result, the successful candidate' receiving the congratulations of his friends.