THE ELECTION.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1272, 16 May 1883, Page 2

THE ELECTION.

♦ The polling for the return of a member to represent luangahua in the House of Representatives took place on Monday last. Throughout Saturday and Sunday public excitement ran very high, and the supporters of tli« respectable candidates worked with the utmost zeal. From daylight on the polling day people were alert and the plans of the campaign were set in motion. The town was placarded with flaming posters indicating to the electors the way in which they should cast their votes and warning the public of the great dangers which would result from the defeat or victory of the respective candidates. The poll opened at 9 o'clock a.m. and from that hour onwards crowds »>f people gathered in Biidgestreet, in the vicinity of the Court House, and as the voters rolled in excitement rose, and the battle of the day proceeded. Everything, however, was conducted very orderly and even good humouredly, and there was not the least unpleasantness throughout the day. The committees of the candidates worked hard, and the vehicles in use on each side were kept constantly going. By five o'clock every available voter had been brought to the poll, and when the door was closed the committees retired, satisfied that they had done their beat. Shortly before 7 o'clock the crowd re-assembled near the Court Houße, when the result of the Reefton voting was announced. The figures gave Mr Shaw a majority of 118, a result which was received with immense ' cheering, by hi 3 supporters, and which ' was a perfect staggerer to Mr W;ike- 1 field's friends. Shortly afterwards how- < ever came the returns from Black's Point, 1 the majority of 50 being this time for Mr i Wakefield. This result gave the sup- ] porters of the latter gentleman fresh In >pc, i but almost immediately afterwards a { telegram was received announcing the c Boatman's returns, which added another s 50 to Mr Shaw's majority, which now ' c itoed at 118 for the three Reeftun pol- t

ling places. In the course of a few minutes the Brunuerfrm figures came to hand, showing a majority for Mr Wakefield of 68, thus reducing Mr Shaw's lead to 50. The Brunnerton figures, though very good, were a little disappointing, 85 to 90 being the numbers depended upon. . Ahaura was the next to be announced, and reduced Mr Shaw's! majority by 7. Mr Shaw now led by 43, and his supporters were very jubilant, but the jubilation was rather short-lived, for almost immediately after came the No Town returns, which brought a majority of 30 f«»r Mr Wafcetield, and landed him within 13 of his opponent. Five returns were still to come in, and the jubilation was now on the side of Mr Wakefield's friends, who felt tolerably certain of victory. Nelson Creek was .the next to come in, the figures being, however, very close, the majority of one only going to Mr Shaw. " Granville came next with a majority of four for Mr Waketield, reducing the lead of his opponent to eight. Excitement now run very high, and the opposing parties were in almost breathless expectation. This state of things was, however, very short-lived, for closely following came the. Orwell Creek returns, which gave Mr Shaw the unexpected large majority of 30. This return fell, like a-w^t bl^a|lp(|bn the hopes of Mr Wakefield's supporters, his opponents lead now standing at 38. Considering that Orwell Creek, is the smallest polling place but one in the electorate, numbering only some 58 voters on the roll, the result was indeed surprising. Still the case was not yet regarded as hopeless, and an| interval of an hour followed, and which was one of considerable anxiety to both sides. The Little Grey returns, however, set all doubt at rest, adding as they did 13 to Mi? Shaw's majority. .he only return now to come in was Moonlight, which could not possibly effect the result. There were shortly received, and gave Mr Waketield a majority of seven, thus leaving Mr Shaw the victor with a majority of 46, the total votes polled o" each side being Shaw 826 ; Waketield, 780, making together 1606 votes The figures at the last election wore— Weston, 739; Reeves, 516; M'Lean, 59; making a total of 1314. The total number of votes polled on this occasion was larger than was expected, and gives a good index to the interest felt in the contest. It will be seen that Mr Wakefield obtained majorities at five out of the eight polling places in the Grey A'alley, the total votes in that portion of the electorate being— Waketield, 415; Shaw, 343. It is also worthy of note, as accounting in a great "way for the disparity in the voting at Onvell Creek and Little Grey, that Mr Wakefield did not visit the latter place at all, Tiwing to pressure of time, and was only in Orwell Creek twice, and then at uight tiiue, and therefore hail no opportunity of -.meeting the ejectors privately. The 'following are the details of the. voting :—_}■ &..... \-] ' PiBEFTON. Shaw ! ... 260 Wakefield ... ... 142 Black's 1 Point. Wakefield 144 Shaw 94 Boatman's. Shaw ... ''. 129 Wakefield ..., : ... 79 Littl & Grey. Shaw ... ... ... 29 Wakefield 16 Granville. Wakefield... ... ... 43 Shaw... ... 39 Ahaura. Wakefield... ; r <;!i ... 52 Shaw... ..»v3 i : ... ... 45 Orwell Greek. Shaw ... ' 42 Wakefield ... 12 MoOK LIGHT. Wakefield 19 Shaw ... . 12 Nelson Cheek. I Shaw ... ... ... 74 Wakefield ...* • ... 73 No Town. Wakefield... „„ ... 84 Shaw ... ... g4 Bhunnertok. Wakefield.., ... ... \\q Shaw 43 TOTAL:— Shaw ...826 Waketield 7m) The above gives a majority for Mr Shaw of 46 votes.