BLENHEIM RESULTS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 101, 30 April 1908, Page 5

BLENHEIM RESULTS.

Soon after seven of clock last even- j ing a crowd began to collect in the 5 vicinity of the band; rotunda in the ! Square in anticipation;of the declara- ! tion of the Mayoralpoll, j It was not, however, until j about a I quarter past eight that the Town i Clerk ''Mr I>. P. Sinclair) made his 1 appearance with the- much-looked-tor j result. The.figures, are: — McCallum .-.; 360 Penny ........ ... 336 Informal i ... 9 Majority for McCallum 24 Mr Penny j who was on the rotunda when the ' result was announced, thanked his supporters in a wellchosen and appropriate little speech. The election, he said, had been conducted without even the appearance of ill-feeling or bitterness. He quite expected that the election would be very close, and he. heartily congratulated Mr McCallum on his success, and hoped he would do his utmost" to forward the interests of the town and district- (Applause.)' ' ' Mr A. McCallum,' the successful candidate, said he had again to thank the people for returning him, and he thanked hi 9 opponent for the fair and gentlemanly manner in which lie had codueted the election. He thought, however, that the local journals had made'some attempt to spill' some bad feeling. One of them had said of him that he had "done nothing and done it well." As the finances of the Borough were at present, there was no other policy which he could have promised than that which was followed. If they would give them plenty of money they would do things well. A. voice: "So would any of us." Continuing, the speaker said that if the ratepayers would grant them a loan to expend on the gasworks, they would have ' the works placed in thorough repair, , and put underproper management- In regard to the question of leasing them, he was not in favour of it, so long as the gasworks remained a payable asset, but if they would not pay, then by all means let somebody else take them over. He would once again thank them heartily for the honour they had done Mm by returning him to the Mayoral chair. (Applause.)