THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1574.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1690, 3 January 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1574.

The election of the first Superintendent of the Province of Westland took place yesterday, and resulted in the return of the Hon J. A. Bonar at the head of the poll, by a majority, so far as is yet known, s of 124 votes over Mr Kennedy. The* Okarito returns are not yet in, but they cannot possibly affect the result of the election. Hokitika has returned Mr Bonar, as the enormous majority he polled there carried the electionj and if the electors of Greymouth had stuck as closely to their local candidate he could not fail to have been returned, as he was well supported at Hokitika and Waimea ; but the position which he occupies on the list is highly creditable, and shows" the estimation in which he is held all over the Province. The most remarkable thing about the return is the position occupied by Mr Hoos, who has only polled 53 votes, whereas «his chance was supposed to be very good, but Mr Kennedy's appearance in the field at the last moment must have killed hisj^hance in the race. The following are. the returns to hand : —

The voting throughout the whole of the districts must have been very close, and a very good index to the amount of interest taken by tho people generally in the result of the election. The number of electors on the roll is 1545, and uut of that 1112 are known to have recorded their votes. Add to this the number that must have polled in the southern districts, and the number of absentees, of whom we can enumerate over 30 in this district and a very much increased-number in Hokitika, the contest must have been, throughout all the districts, as close a one as it was possible to be. However, the election is now over, and, we hope, with it, all the accrimbny; usually attendant upon such proceedings. Mr Bonar is now Super-, iniendent of Westland, and we trust that while be fills that position he will fulfil the promises he has made, and faithfully watch over the interests of every district in the Province. .

Kennedy Bonar Hoos W. Greymouth 14& ... 65 ... 27 ... Paroa ... 4 ... 3 ... 1 ... Ross ... 10 •... ■-■4%i.-.-. — ... Kanieri ... 10 .. 10 ... 8 ... Maori Gully 17 ... 9' ... — ... Maraden .. 1 ... 4 ... — ... Hokitika S4 ..." 317 ... 17 ... Waimea ... 92 ... 30 ... — ... Teremakau 1 ... 1 ... — ... tfox'a ... -- ... 5 ... — ... r hite 17 5 5 164 15 1 sad. arr sq