MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15704, 25 August 1911, Page 8

MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

CENTRAL WARD. MR 11. D. ACL AND RETURNED. There were indications quite early yesterday morning that the polling in the Central Ward by-election, rendered necessary by Mr J. J. Dougall’s Election as Ma3 r or, would be considerably heavier than is usual on such occasions, and these indications were not belied by the final results, the total number of votes polled being nearly 3000. It was evident, ns the returns began to come in last evening, that Mr K. D. Aclnnd was going to give the other candidates a very hard run for it, and wheu tho return for the No. 1 booth at the Provincial Council Chambers came in, with the figures: Acland 333, Thacker 82, Hoppy G 6, Howard 46, it was felt that his election was assured. Subsequent returns placed this assumption beyond all doubt, the final results being:—H. D. Acland 1264, Dr H. T. J. Thacker 687, R. Hoppy 629, E. Howard 390. Nineteen informal votes wero cast. The returns wero all in by about 7.60 p.m., the first return to come into tlie hands of the chief returning-officer, Mr G. W. Hulme, being that from the Otley’s showroom booth, which > arrived at 7.15 p.m. Mr Hulme announced the final _ results from the doorway of the Provincial Council Chambers, reading tho figures by the aid cf a match held by a friendly bystander. The large crowd which had assembled received the figures in perfect silence, and only when they were read a second time did any cheering or applause take place. The following are the detailed results of the polling

Total number of votes registered, 2969. CANDIDATES AT THE POLLINGBOOTH. THE WORKERS’ CANDIDATES AT VARIANCE. ACRIMONIOUS REMARKS. BRIEF SPEECH BY THE NEW COUNCILLOR. When Mr Acland appeared on the steps at the main entrance to the building he met with a mixed reception, many of these present evidently being sympathisers with the Labour candidate. After thanking the electors for placing him at the head of the poll, he said that ho would do his best to serve them. He was not returned as the representative of any party or organisation. He had come forward simply as an “ Independent.” It would be his mission to see that even-handed justice was dispensed alike to employer and employee, to labour and to capital. He was going to the Council to give everybody a “ fair deal,” irrespective of classes or organisations. He was pleased to be able to toll them that the first man who came up and congratulated him upon his election was Mr Hoppy, the Labour candidate. He wished to add that if at any future election Mr Hoppy obtained a* seat upon the Council and the speaker was also elected, ho would feel it a pleasure to have Mr Hoppy as a fellow-member. (Cheers.) DR THACKER’S ADDRESS. THE CANDIDATE AND THE NEWSPAPERS. Dr Thacker spoke from his motorcar on the opposite side of the street. He was received with a demonstration, cheers and cat-calls being intermingled. He said that ho was proud of tne position he occupied. He had fought the contest “ on his own,” and he had not been coached, cuddled or caressed by any society or concern of any kiiid. He had fought the fight straight-out. (Applause.) He .congratulated the winner. (Applause.) He also congratulated his own friends —(applause)—who had fought so well. He had gained the position he occupied at the poll in spite of the “Times” and the “Press.” He had suffered under, a great disadvantage. He had incurred the displeasure of the Press generally in the city because he would not smoodge to them and would not go and sit in their big fat armchairs and tell them what delightful men they were. He was like the citizens’ late lamented Mayor, Mr T. E. Taylor—(cheers)—and had opinions of his own and spoke them out. There was no smoodging about him. (A voice: “That’s right, Doc.”) He was like Paritutu. That horse was no good at flat racing, but when it took to the hurdles it went in flying. He would do the same. (Laughter.) A big moral lesson was attached ,to the election. It was that a law should be passed to compel everj- person to bo on the roll who was eligible, and all who did not vote should be fined. That would be better than military training. (Cheers.) As far as he was concerned he had stood upon his dignity, and many of his friends had ridden to the booths in other peoplo’s motorcars. When Mr Seddon first went in to Parliament, in 1879, he had to “ buck ” against adversity, and Dr Thacker was doing that now. As a matter of fact he had come forward only because his friends had asked him to do so. (Applause.) If he had smoodged along to the City councillors he could have been Mayor. (“ No, no.”) It was quite true, and at the next mayoral election, in April, lie would stand for the position again. (Applause, and a voice: “ Cheers for the Doc.”) His next “go,” probably, would be for Christchurch East. He would go right up for it, and ho would not look for the help of the “ Times,” or the “ Press,” or the Socialists, or the Labour people. He would stand as the wage-earners’ friend and as a Liberal. (Cheers.) If Mr Cook fought Mr Laurenson for he would let them fight it out. (A Voice: “ Which is tho best man?”) The best? If that gentleman had any grammar, he would have said “better” (Another Voice: “ Not so ungrammatical as your ‘ bucking.’ ”) If Mr Lauronson seceded from Lyttelton and stood for a North Island constituency, he would stand against Mr Cook for Ljdtelton. (Applause.) MR HOPPY.

THE SPLIT IN THE WORKERS’ RANKS.

• Mr Hoppy thanked those who had I voted for him, and congratulated Mr I Acland. Although Labour had been ; defeated at that conies-,_ he said it ' would make a big stand in lNew Zealand, lie hoped at no distant date. : lie specially thanked the ladies who . had worked for him. Altogether, La- ' bour had put up a grand fight. It ' was regrettable that the Labour vote ; had been split between Mr Hon aid i and the speaker. It " aa a p . . p ,., J i that Mr Howard ever went into the I fight. (Applause and cries of d ssent.) ' But he was pleased that he ad had an opportunity of I to « h :r„s's wg. not all revolutionary bocialiste. I (Cheers.) r.v-or v MR HOWARD S E.EPLL. Mr Howard, who was both cheers and groans, sa

“ bottom dog ” wished to thank all those who voted for him. .He did not think that Labour had very muoli to be proud of that day—-(applause-)— when it stopped to consider that it was in the same field as the employers. The only people the employers feared were the revolutionary Socialists. (Laughter.) The revolutionary Socialists,' also' were the only people the Labour Party feared. (Laughter.) He was “ bottom dog” on account of lying statements in the “ Times,” which would not publish tho replies to them. He had been beaten also by permanent paid pare.sites. (Laughter.) fn any case, the people would have- to put up with Socialism, whether they Tilted it or not. (Cries of dissent.) They could boo-hco, but they would bo starved into having Socialism. He wished to repeat that Labour had nothing to be proud of when it considered the exceedingly small vote given for the Labour candidate. Even if the votes for the two working candidates were coupled, th6re was nothing to he proud of. Friends cf the Labour movemont had refrained from voting because they were absolutely disgusted with the movement in this country. All the big unions were leaving the Trades Councils. A voice: “At your instigation.” Mr Howard: “At yours; I know the voice.”

“ At yours.” Mr Howard: “No, sir. I give the lie to you—at yours.” Continuing, he said that the Socialists had not been suppressed yet. (Groans.) He agreed, however, that the Socialists' opponents had been able to employ moro paid people at that contest, and by a system of lying statements had managed to bring about the results announced. He thanked those who voted against him as well as those who voted for him, as it showed the number in the Central Ward who had to be converted by the Socialists. He was willing to meet any of tho Trades Council people and prove to the workers that they were fang sold by their own class. (Derisive cheers.) “You don’t like that,” he added, “ but you would have it.” . (Renewed cheers.) On the call of Mr Howard cheers were given for the returning officer. MR ACLAND’S CAREER. Mr H. D. Acland, the successful candidate, is a son of the late Hon J. B. Acland, of Mount Peel. He was born in New Zealand in 1867, and was educated at Christ’s College, Christchurch, and at Christ Church, Oxford. He took his B.A. degree in 1889, and became a barrister of the Inner Temple. On completing his studies Mr Acland returned to New Zealand, and practised for four years as a solicitor in Ashburton, subsequently entering the legal firm of Wilding, Rolleston and Acland, of this city. For the past six years Mr Acland has acted as solicitor to the Ashburton Borough Council, and he was recently elected as a member of the Board cf Governors of Canterbury College. Mr Acland Ims "'always taken a keen interest in municipal affairs and also in matters of an industrial nature.

Polling' Booths. Holand. ker. pyward. Provincial Council Chambers 622 153 131 94 Orange Hall, 'Worcester Street 189 160 8-1 55 St Michael’s Schoolroom 161 77 82 79 Ot'ey’s Showroom, Madras Street 47 ‘ 42 45 30 Foresters’ Hall, Oxford Terrace 119 81 147 60 Methodist Schoolroom. Richmond . 46 48 75 21 Hibernian Hall, Barbadocs Street 50 116 65 61

Totals . . 1,264 687 629 890