PENSIONER SETTLEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1840, 7 December 1869, Page 5

PENSIONER SETTLEMENTS.

DECLA.UATIOST OF THE POLL. YesTEEDAY afternoon, at four o'clock, the deeli» rat ' on °f a poll Jr 'h e Pensioner Settlement* took place <\t the Polico-station, | Punmure. The KETURNIs-G-OFFtCBii said he declared tho following gentlomen to be duly elected the members to represent the Pensioner Settlements in the Provincial Council, viz., Messrs. BrookSelJ, Korr, and Freer, the numhers polled being as follows :— F. M. P. Brookfield 109 j J. G. Freer 96 ' J. Kerr ...,..., , 4 S3 C. H. J. Hovell 71 Jamej White 55 J. C. Irvino 11 Mr. White askod if he could protest against tho decisioD. The Rbttjrning-Officer said his duty was nished. Jlr. White had loifgrd a protest in bis hands, and vrhon callod upon ho would produce it. It whs hie duty to conduct the ele-tion. and he had dons so to the beat of his ability, and if he had not dona right it was for his superior to find fault. Mr. BEOOKFIKin thanked them for placing him at the li9*d of the poll, more especially as he had been the last to come forward for tlieir suSrsgee, and that he had been prevented from addressing them before by circumstances over which he had no ccntrol. He would do his best for the province at large now ha was elected, and they would find that his views would be in connsouauco with tho9e of the province at largo, more especially ■with regard to education. Hβ would advocate 3 secular education alono, giving no power to the sohoolinister with respect to a religious education. He would go in for the extension of the powers of Highway Boards, giving them money in proportion to the money they contributed out of the provincial chest. Mr. Fbser thanked the electors for placing him second on the poll, and ha was deeply obliged to his friend, Mr. Kerr, for his assistance. He trusted that his constituents would let him kaow their wants, and ho would, together with his colleagues, do his best for t'lein. Mr. Keus, in addressing them, said he had o complain of the unfair means which were brought to bear against him to defeat him. It ■was owing to the inhabitants of Panmure that ha was placed in tho proud position he then occupied. Notwithstanding the influenoe brought to bear against him, only two of his friends in Panmure were induced to vote against him. It was reported by emissaries ■who were sent to Panmure, that ho wag an enemy to religion, and-that he had had a controversy with Father Fynes; but he gave that report an unqualified denial. It was a foal calumny on both Fnthar Fynes anc himself. A lady was by this means brought to useherinfluenceand canvass agninst him. It was said that the ticket system was used at Otahuhu. It was known that he supported Mr. Brookfield and Mr. Freer from the first, and if Dr. Hovell, Mr. Brookfield, and Mr. Freer countenanced that he was very much surprised. A gentleman, the first two letters of whose nama were Kdmund Foley, had said that if he (Mr. Kerr) had shook hands with him with a five pound in it, he wov'd have given him (Mr. Kerr) his support and s;ot him in. He concluded by assuring the electors that he would do his best for the interests of his constituency. Dr. HovELiisaid although a defeated he -was not a dishonored candidate. In allusion to the ticket system, if either Mr. Brookfield or Mr. Freer had asked him to resign before the nomination he would have resigned in their favor, as he had such a high respect for them. In llowiek undue influence was brought to bear against him. Not even a glass of beer had he given for a.vote in Howick. But a man (whom he could produce) had told him in a public room, tha* Mr. Kells gave him five shillings to rote for 3Xr. Brookfield. He had a high respect for Mr. Brookfield, hut he must say that nothing but bribery on the part of Mr. Brookfield's emissaries, or he would have held tho position Mr. Brookfield now held. He had entered a protest against ilr. Brookfield's return, and he fully intended to carry it out. If thia were to be the case in elections, a man might as well go about with a purse in his hand, giving a pound to this man and a pound to that, and saying, " Put me in." He had eighteen men in Howick who were willing to swear to bribery, in some shape oi other. Where there were no tempters there would be no tempted. If the Pensioner Settlements ■were to be bought aad like that, the sooner they -were disfranchised the better. He accorded his best thanks to ail thefreeand independent electors of the Pensioner Settlements. Mr. James White said : Dr. Hovell had so far explained the circumstances of the case that he had little to add ; but he also intended to proiest again3t the election. Ho contended that neither ATr. Brootfield nor Mr. Freer hud a right to come out and contest the election of the Pen-ioner Settlements. Mr. Freer had complained that the ticket system was very bad for him in Auckland, and yet he had found, it very useful in Panmure. Mr. Brookfield had an object in view—he wanted to be the Provincial Solicitor —and Mr. Freer was going in for the public houses. They hod robbed the Pensioner Settlements of their birthright. Hβ protested against the election, as those two gentlemen got in by bribery and corruption, and the pensioners were sold like a bullock in Smithfield. llr. Fbeee denied in tolo all connection with the ticket. If such a thing did occur, he knew nothing about it. The Reitjrnikg Obficeb now declared the meeting over. Mr. Brookfield moved and Dr. Hovkll seconded a vote of thanks to the Eeturning Offioer, which being acknowledged, the meeting separated.