CITY ELECTICN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 300, 28 September 1887, Page 2

CITY ELECTICN.

DECLARATION OF THE POLL.

The result of the poll was officially declared ' in the Provincial Hall by Mr Scaife, the \ Returning Officer, at noon today, when there were about 100 present. The numbers were announced as follows : — Levestam . . . . 567 Piper 338 Gibbs 176 and Mr Levestam was declared duly elected amid cheers. Mr Levestam said, For the fourth time it has devolved on me to Btand here and thank the electors of Nelson for the confidence they have reposed in me. To say that I feel proud of it is needless, for I cannot conceive any higher honor thanto be elected to a position of trust by my fellow men, and that too for the fourth time. The election has been pending for a long time, but I am glad to say that during the whole period my Committee haa done nothing to be ashamed of, bat have fought fairly and above board, and I am glad to be able to say the same of Mr Piper. I have a word or two to say on a subject that has lately been introduced into the contest, namely, the Harbor Board. If you want tbis it must emanate from yourselves, and whenever you see fit to take such action you may thoroughly depend upon me to work loyally for you. I again return you my sincere thanks. (Cheers). Mr Piper : It is my duty to return thanks to the 338 who recorded their votes in my favor. I have been beaten, but not fairly, as the introduction of Mr Gibbs has brought in an element of unfairness, and I could but have wished that Mr Levestam and I had been left to contest the seat on our merits, when if Mr Levestam had polled a substantial majority it would have been more satisfactory to him than the present result. Ido not know who raised the legal quibble first, but I know that before that I had a good show, but then some of my supporters faltered, and I felt the blow up to the time of my going to the poll. It may be my duty to contest this seat again, but I shall not do so except on the ! receipt of a very solid requisition, for I have , not the money, nor do I care to enter upon a contest where I may have suoh unscrupulous opponents as I have had in this instance. On our side I have been largely supported by the Temperance party, and I thank them, by [ the working men, and I thank them, and by the Bible in schools party in a measure, but I ' do not advise anyone to bring that forward as ! one of the planks of his platform, unless it is [ a principle with him as it is with me. I have not been so largely supported by thafc party ' as I should havB been, and while I have lost votes on that account, I do not know of more than seven who supported me on that ground \ alone. To the working men I would say, : you have been faithful to me and you will ■* always find me faithful to you. and I would ' strongly advise you to unite in your own interests. The country is growing, and the same thing is going on here as in other parts of the world ; wealth is being 1 created and is gradually getting into the hands of the few, and you must do what you 1 can to prevent this and to get your fair share of it, for the real prosperity of a country consists in the prosperity of the bone and sinew of it. lam rather like the good old French King who said that he would rather • see poultry constantly on the working man's table and less delicacies on that of the rich man. I strongly advise unity on your part with a view to securing your share of the wealth of the country. I again thank those who voted for me. (Cheers.) Mr Gibbs : The battle has been fought and won and I should have thought it good policy on the part of the candidates not to throw mud as they have been doing. [Mr Levestam: What have I said ?J Said 1 why you are aa fierce as a little buck rat. (Great laughter.) The battle, I say, is over, and we might just as well shake hands. [Mr Piper : I don't shake a dirty hand.] I tbank the 176 who voted for me, but I don't thank the 250 who pledged their support and throw me over at the last moment. I have occupied the same position as Napoleon in the Franco-German war, my men having betrayed me at the last moment. I can say that I have never showed any ill feeling to those who have voted or worked against me, and am quite prepared to be friends with them all round, and I cau say tho same of my experiences in the Mo.ueka district. But I say t^ Mr Piper (hit if he has made little mistakes he ought to be thankful to me for rectifying them aud teaching him to be more careful another time. (Laughter.^) He ought to be the very last person to quarrel with me aboub if. [A voice : You were the means of putting Jack Kerr in. J Then I have done a great service to Nelson (Cheers) and the whole district should be thankful to me, for I like to see n Government man and a party man in, one upon whose voe you know you can depend, and wbo has not to be looked up by the whips. I again thank thoso who voted for me and I am more sorry for ihem than for myself that they were piaoed in a fahe position by men pledging their votes and then deserting me. I wish to thank the Colonist which has shown me fair play. It is a party paper and in favor of Mr Levestam and dead against me and I know it, but it gave me fair play. I like a paper to let the public know who it is fighting for and not to be wishy washy about it and slate a man at the last moment. Again I thank my supporters. (Cheers.) A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer terminated the proceedings.