DECLARATION OF POLLS. Te Aro.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 140, 14 December 1881, Page 3

DECLARATION OF POLLS. Te Aro.

The formal declaration of tke poll for this distriot took place in front of Nicholson's furniture warehouse, Cuba-street, at noon today. There was a good attendance, and the proceedings passed off quietly. Mr. W. P. Jamas, tbe returning officer, formally announced the result of the poll to be as follows :— Johnston 397 Shaw 34! Stafford 321 He, therefore, declared Mr. C. J. Johnston duly elected. Mr. Johnston, the successful candidate, Haid that, the poll having been formally declared, ho now addressed them as their representative in Parliament— a proud position, honourably won, which he trusted he might worthily fill. (Cheers.) He nrged that all the members for the city should work together for its welfare, and in conclusion said that to the untiring efforts of what he thought was the best committee a candidate ever had he mainly attributed his buocpbs. To then he tendered his heartfelt thanks. Throo cheers were given for the new member. Mr. Shaw, in returning thanks to h's supporters, said there was no doubt that the power which carried this election was the block vote of a certain religions Bection. (Cheers, grcans, and uproar.) He was sorry to have to make snoh an assertion, for a variety of reasons. He firmly believed that had these gentlemen not been so influenced, a large majority of them would have recorded their votes for him. (Cheers and counter-cheers.) Let them be well assured this kind of abuse of an organic function — and representation was in the highest degree an organic function—always entailed its own punishment. They might rest assured that other sections of the community could not afford to stand by and see the same thing done another time. (Cheers and uproar.) 'ihe result would be that instead of being gainers on the specific point they had in view, they would assuredly be losers. Mr. Shaw them ■poke against the cutting up of the city into three electorates, and added that this being the first time he had sought election in New Zealand, he was proud of the position in which he had been placed. Mr. Stafford said that of course he regretted being a defeated candidate, but it was with no envious feelings he saw Mr Johnston successful. (Cheers.) He was also proud of the support accorded to him, considering that ho had never before stood for election, and, unlike the last speaker, he had the satisfaction of knowing that his vote* wera not partly another candidate's. Mr. Stafford agreed with Air. Shaw in condemning the Representation Act, and in conclusion, moved a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer. This was seconded by Mr. Johnston, and carried unanimously. Cheers were given for the defeated candidates, after which the meeting separated. South Wellington. The official declaration of the poll at South Wellington took place at noon to-day in the presence of all the candidates except Mr. Hendrey. There is a slight difference between the figures of the rough declaration and as they now stand — Hutchison 470 Coffey 390 Edwards 256 Hendrey .. 14 Mr. Hutchison returned thanks for tke honour done him. It was the labouring and artizan classes who had supported him and voted for him, whilo those who were conspicuous for having voted against him were the non-reßident owners of property — men who under a wise Act would not have been allowed to vote at all — the whole of the "Topers and Tadpoles" of the John 6 ton, Nathan, Joseph, Krull, Pharazyn, Kebble, and Levin class. He said the latter gentleman had evinced disapproval of Mr. Coffey'a oandidatnre, and yet had voted for him (A Voice—' How do you know that?") A Government organ had advised him to follow the othor representatives for the city—advico which he considered only surpassed by its unsurpassable impudence. He declined to follow them because he was in the van. He spoke in contemptuous terms of tha Wellington Press, saying they were only useful as advertising mediums and retailers of mean petty spite. Mr. Coffey bri- fly returned thanks, denied that he had been supported by Mr. Levin, and announced hi 3 intention of Btanding again on the first opportunity. Mr. Edwards urged the electors to aid Mr. Hutchison in any good work he might undertake, and assist hrn in doing the best for the city. He (Mr. Edwards) had been beaten, but he believed his viewß were the correct views, and he would on another occasion ask the suffrages of the electors. In the meantime, he beaoneht them to lay aside all feeling and work together for their common good. The Seturning Officer remarked that the way in which the election had been conducted was a oredit to South Wellington. A vote of thanks to ihe Betnrning Offioer (Mr. Eustace Brandon) closed the proceedings.