THE ELECTIONS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 4, Issue 188, 27 April 1861, Page 5

THE ELECTIONS.

The nomination for the Town of Napier took place on Wednesday last. The Returning Officer having read the writs, — Mr. Michael Mulany nominated, and Mr. ■Joseph Doherty seconded, Mr. T. H. FitzCJerald. Dr. Hitchinga nominated, and Mr. S. Aaronson seconded, Mr. Wm. Colenso. Mr. Daniel Munn nominated, and Mr. J. J. 3£elly seconded, Mr T. E. Newton. Mr. FitzG-erald tlien : ,a^^^ed the electorsHe recapitulated the crrcalgHKHp>s under which he ■accepted and resigned om|pP|fee then touched upon the necessity of the Superintendent being •elected by the people instead of by the Council ; the public felt no interest in an officer who was not directly elected by themselves, and ceased to afford him that measure of support so necessary to a pecsox^^BtiS T>ositionV The present Superintendent was a highly popular man, but he (Mr. F.) predicted that, under the present system, he -would not long continue so. He denied that, as had been asserted, he would go into the Council as an opponent to the present government ; he would offer no factious opposition to any government. He confessed, in conclusion, that he was not very anxious to be elected ; ho had- come forward more in case people should say that he had made a mess of it and was afraid to face the constituency, than from any particular anxiety to take part jn politics. d|||te Colenso then came forward -remarking '"'ffflffS !v * WaS t^ ie B * xfc k ** m<J w i tn in two years that ■ l^pSaa stood on the hustings. He referred to his opponent, Mr. Newton, who had said that he had no political career to refer to, but who had, inasmuch as he had taken upon himself to nominate Mr. Stark as a fit and proper person to represent tis in the General Assembly. He either then knew Mr. Stark, and waa the means of Napier being taken In ; or he did not know him 3 and said on the hustings what was riot true. Mr. Newton had declared that he would not accept a paid office Tinder government, which was quite true — ' first, because he was better paid behind the counter, . andi second, because the government would not have him. , Mr, Newton was an old and respected •settler, but if they sent him to the Council, hia . body might be there, but his soul would be iii his ;Bt3re. He then adverted to the objection to paid officers being in the Council, which he said was a legitimate ground of objection to a person receiving a sop or enjoying a sinecure; but not where a man was known to .work hard for the salary he received. He finally called Mr. Munn to task; for the 'contents of a letter lately published under the signature of " Old Colonist," which complained. of a balance sheet not being forthcoming. The delay in the publication of the annual statement of receipts and expenditure^ had arisen from theneceseity* f or^ jtfe&jauditors (he waß not one of them) to exami»^md signi t. But it was now examined, and in tneWands of the printer. An abstract of '.it had been. laid on the Council table in February, bat the old muff (Munn) didn't know it. In reply to a question, be said that when he spoke of being chief mate to the late head of the govern- . roent, he meant that -he would— and he would never do anything r else — stand by the government of the day in all lawful and" proper measures; Mr. : Newton,, after, recapitulating his views -6n the principal; .questions of the day, proceeded to answer whafcjjhad been laid to his. charge in the matter '©£• election; - There were three other candidates for the membership— Mr. Cblen--80, Mx. W;organi Mr. Ferguson. He could not vote fpr'Mrl Cpleriso, because,, by, so. doing, he Vonld'endbrse the proceedings of the late government^ £ He;"could not vote for Mr. Worgari, be-' lievmg'liia|; he had ulterior views in seeking the Buffrageai 6l. the electors. And with regard" to' Mr. j he y could not Vote" for any per- . BonwhocTjiigneclthe petition of which so muoh ; -had been > made by- their Wellington opponents. £ A, voice,-r^Stark signed it also.] If he did so, he (Mi; =Newton) did/nbt know it. Well, Mr. Stark was an untried naa^i and one who professed tore*

present popular opinion; and he :p/£k Newton) . supported, him. But since the^appearance of Mr>• ■Stark's I letter, in which he; explained the; view's he' had formed on the question of tliei Wellington Debt — views quite opposed tVthose he (Mr. N.) believed' to be held by the electors— he; at once became one to get a requisition signed for him^to' '^resign; ;. If '< he (Mr. N.) were- .blameable in thismatter, 50 others were so alsoj and he had -taken? prompt steps to remedy his., error. He was> instructed, however, by Mr. Stark to say that, find-' ing a majority of the electors to be against him;hewould resign his seat. ■ < [.•'••}?■- The Returning Officer then called for a show of hands, which was declared to be in favor of Messrs. FitzGerald and Newton ; upon which a poll was demanded by Mr. Colenao, to be taken on the following day. The polling on Thursday resulted in the election of Messrs. FitzGerald and Newton — the votes recorded being, — for FitzG-erald, 57 ; Newton, 50 ; Colenso, 43. The three candidates appeared on the declaration of the poll — the two first thanking the electors. ■ • The nomination for the Country District takes place this dayjabPuketapuj the polling on Mondays — For the Waipukurau District the days are the same. . . -. t