“SEDDON WINS.”

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 December 1911, Page 5

“SEDDON WINS.”

HOKITIKA ON ELECTION NIGHT.

DESPONDENCY DISPLACES ENTHUSIASM.

[OTTH OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Favoured with lovely weather Hokitika was en fete yesterday afternoon and the supporters of both parties were quietly confident of the result and the proceedings generally were marked by a lack of enthusiastic ebullitions until the earlier results began to get known, particularly the reduced majority in Hokitika, and the supporters of Mr*i T. E. Y. Seddon gave vent to their feelings in shrieks of wild hooraying and ironical cheers for Mr. Michel, whose committee, although disappointed with the polling in the blue and white stronghold, were still confident of the ultimate result and cheered and counter-cheered.

SEDDON CREEPS AHEAD. As the country returns crept in still showing that the old name was fresh in the memories of the staunch old pioneers, a quiet calm, almost apathy, crept over the surging throng congregated in front of the Lands Office, where the results were being displayed on a blackboard and the disjointed knots of red and white supporters were seen talking in hushed whispers of their fears and hopes, and it soon became evident that the southern electorates had disappointed the sanguine estimates of the Michelites. As the dusk grew into darkness the screen was utilised for the posting of the results only to prove more conclusively that the genial Tom was still favourite and great was the acclamation from Preston's balcony and the cordon of small fry immediately around the screen. THE BLUE AND WHITENow the Seddonites, who had hitherto been quiescent openly proclaimed their partisanship and vociferously cheered the added majorities which were hardly affected by such results a« Ngahere, Ahaura, and Stillwater, but when it became known that the unofficial totals showed a majority of 300 in favor of the tried'' the half-hearted enthusiasm of the red-and-whites sank to despondency and the crowd contented themselves with being regaled with secondhand resultsof favourable polls and "many folded up their tents like the Arab and as silently stole away". THE DEFEATED CANDIDATE. Unfortunately Mr. Seddon was delayed by motor, breakdowns and could not reach Hokitika. till 9.30 p.m., but as the final result was assured, Mr. Michel, who took his beating like the public-spirited man he is, decided to address the electors, and in a brief •speech thanked them cordially for their support and although he was beaten he was, not. dispirited and was heartened by the large number of votes cast in his favour. SEDDON'S ROUGH PASSAGE. About 9.40 p.m. Mr. Seddon arrived in Rugg's motor car and was wildly cheered as he jumped from the car but his efforts to. thank his constituents for the hearty manner in which they had shown their appreciation ot his past endeavours was retarded by a hostile demonstration and interrupted by jeers and cat-calls. However, better sense gained possession of the disappointed voters and Tom in a few words thanked the electors of Westland for their support and assured them of his best efforts on their behalf for his ensuing term of office.

A FALLEN HERO. In spit© of the figures the Michelites rallied round the commitee room and cheered their fallen hero and at ten o'clock the band struck up m Revell Street and a procession of five or six hundred stoong inarched to the inspiring strains of "He's a Jolly Ixood Fellow" to Mr. Michel's house, where refreshments were handed round to his ardent and sympathetic supporters, intermingled, I fear, with a few whose loyalty ' was only on thenbreasts, and in spite of the fatigue and anxiety of the past eleven weeks Mr. Michel cheerfully acknowledged his defeat and in response to the cries of the crowd that thronged his garden and right across the road, he wished Ids opponent prosperity and succesß, r?nd in spite of his disappointment and defeat he was still willing to devote his best efforts to prospering Wesfcland and be left his future political aspirations in the hands of his committee.