THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4408, 30 December 1875, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

City East.—The polling for City East will take place in the Mechanics Institute to-day. It will commence at 8 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. There are two candidates—Mr. W. L. Rees and Mr. J. M. Clark —both of whom have addressed the electors upon the present aspect of political affairs, and have explained their views in reference to the same. The friends of both candidates will make vigorous efforts to carry the election, and the excitement attending the contest is likely to be of an unusually strong character. Waitemata.—lt will be seen that Mr. Thomas Henderson, having been prevented! from holding meetings, has published his political creed for the consideration of the electors of Waitemata. Eden.—The nomination for the election o£ a member to represent the district of Eden in the next Parliament will take place ai; Newmarket this day, at noon. The candidates declared .are Messrs. A. K. Taylor, Hugh Carleton, and J. A. Tole. There are mm ours that other persons will be nominated. It will be seen by a letter from Mr. Rees that if he is nominated at Eden it will be without his consent. Thames. —The following is published r* yesterday's Advertiser:—"Respecting tir?*" candidature of Sir George Grey, the following telegram has been handed to us for publication : —' Dr. Cowell, Thames.—Re requisition you presented : If returned for Thames will elect to sit for that place, but cannot be present at the nomination. serve earnestly. It will be a great sacrifice to leave City West, to which t am greatly attached, but they would approve an I believe to be for public good.—G. Grey. Rodney.—Mr. F. H. Hull has been the round of some of the districts canvassing, and as I learn, with very great success. He has held meetings at Pahi, Matakohe, Paparoa, Maungaturoto, and will hold another to-morrow at Monganui. At Pahi a vote of confidence was passed, and the whole settlement will support him. At Matakohe a vote of confidence was proposed and carried, despite an amendment that he should retire. At Paparoa there was a vote of thanks with a rider that " as Mr. Hull's prospects of success are superior to Mr. Bradley's, this settlement should join all the ments to secure a vote in his favour. At Maungaturoto the meeting was a sroallone, owing to the severe weather, but the settlers resolved to support Mr. Hull, and it is expected the Hafearu people will do likewise.His prospects of success are great, but it Mr. Bradley persists in splitting the TOtes with him it is hard to say who will geti in. The general opinion is that Mr. Bradley, belonging to the same party, should retire in Mr. Hull's favour, as if the latter were to retire, Mr. Bradley's chances would still be slight.—[Correspondent.] Otaqo.—The elections in Otago appear to be going strongly against the Government. The

'following telegram "was received yesterday from the Superintendent of Otago " Dun•edin, 28th .December, 1875. —To 6ir George 'Grey, K.C.8., Auckland.—l tnistelections with you are going as well as with as. Had we only the right men eyery seat would be carried, such is the universal feelingthrongh- • out the province. As it is we shaH. nave at least sixteen in our boat, and prpbably nineteen.—J. Macandrew." The following shews the preseat position • of the elections;: — Centralists. Opposition. CHRisrcnuitcii.. K.Richardson .. 13. C J; Stevens M .. "W. S. Moorhouse •• •• .. «. J. Macau drew „ .. R. Stout J# .. W.J. Larnach Tuateea .. .. .. .. J. C. Brown . Auckland "West .. .. .. SirG. Grey „ .. P. Dignan Nelson .. O: Curtis .. ~ ..J. Sharp .. Avox .. ... .. "W. Rolleston Kaiapoi .. C: C. Bowen Wellington .. E. Pearce .. ~ .. G- ITanter.. Caversham .. .. .. .. Se&ton !NewPlymouth T.Kelly .. XiTTTELTON .. M. Ansley Htttt Pitzlierbert Inverovboill .. .. .. .. Lumsden Onkhunga. .. .. •• •» O. M. O'Rorbo Newton W. Swanson Grst & Bell .. Cfirrington Ger.vldine .. Wakedeld Dunstan .. Pyke itosLV-N Burns The above is, we believe, a fair classification. In the list, as first published, Mr. I.arnach was put down as a Centralist, lie iwing opposed Mr. Stout at Caversham a fo\fc- months ago, but, in consequence of the statements made by him on the hustings, we -.tffter his position in the list, as he had given in his ndiresion to the Separation party. M. Ansley is somewhat doubtful. Be supplants Mr. Webb, who was a strong supporter o£ the Government, but we believe that he will be with the Government on the Abolition question. According to the above list, the parties are equal. The Centralists number 13, and the Opposition also number 13. THAMES IfOMINATIOU. FIFTEEN CANDIDATES PROPOSED. [By Electric. Telegraph.] [from our. own correspondent.] Thames, Wednesday. Mr. Macdonald was withdrawn from the contest. The nomination took place at noon. Fully three hundred electors were present. The .Returning Officer, Major Keddell, mounted the platform at noon, read his . authority for acting, and called- for the nomination of candidates, and ashed those present to give a fair hearing. He hoped ihe addresses would be short so that they could get to the races. Mr. Alexander jumped on the stage and proposed Sir George Grey as the best man to represent the Thames constituency. This was seconded by Mr. Greenville. This appeared to be a great disappointment to some in the rear, as will appear soon. Mr. Sims, in a neat speech, ran over the good qualities and past services, as well as the identification of interests, of Mr. Bowe, whom he proposed amid much cheering. He solicited plumpers for the candidate. Mr. Charles Hart seconded the nomination, and urged the working classes to send Mr. Rowe in as their representative. Mr. R. 21. Smith proposed Mr. R. Graham as one beyond the influence of parties and cliques, and as one whose interest were identical with the Thames.—Seconded by Captain Leith. who thought that Abolition of the Provinces was not all that was wanted. Men were wanted that could and would see that our wants were attended to. Mr. Speight proposed Mr. W. Carpenter. He did so that they might have an opportunity of returning men to Parliament that "would not only go in for Abolition, for Provincialism could not exist. They were cooped up in a cage and could not get room, owing to the Native Department. They must have men who would not only break up Tairoa riDgs, but would bring about a system that would retain the thousands that now were unable to obtain lands to settle on. A discreditable ruse had been resorted to to place Sir G. Grey in a wrong position, and in proposing W. Carpenter he trusted that they would not forget to support Sir G. Grey. Mr. McDonald Scott pro forma seconded W. Carpenter's nomination. Mr. Blair proposed W. Campbell. Seconded by Mr. Tho m. Captain Richards said that at the present crisis they wanted the best man they could find. Abolition was a settled thing. "Who had done more or taken a more active interest in the Thames welfare than John Gibbons ? He did not seek plumpers for the candidate, but wished him to go in at the head of the polL Mr. Comer seconded the nomination. Mr. Scanlan proposed Mr. C. A. Comes, whom he had known for 14 years. A good man to represent working men would be a working man. Mr. Hart seconded. Mr. T. Rawdon proposed Mr. A. Brodie on account of his incessant endeavours to open roads and develop the goldiield. Mr. Pulleine seconded. Mr. Carnell proposed Mr. C. O -Nem, but could not obtain an opportunity to speak for his candidate. Seconded by Charleys-Rowley, who succeeded in stating that their candidate had voted for Abolition, and for doing away with rotten Provincialism, and was as good as any other man. Mr. Otto proposed Mr. S. Stephenson, who had by hi" persistent efforts for the past five years to expose abuses, and by his splendid address, proved his ability to take a seat in the Parliament. He would vote for the man, though he had no shirt on his back, who had the talent to represent the working znan of the Thames. Seconded by Mr. ITorton. Mr. McCormick had a name to propose that would electrify them aLL He proposed John Ley don. Seconded by Mr. R. S. Brown. Mr. Bagnall said he had stayed till near the last before proposing his man, but he •was not the least. He was the greatest fenius that had appeared in the whole of few Zealand—Sir Julius Yogel. Seconded by Mr. Wickham. Mr. Renshaw said the attempt to place Sir (J-, Grey in nomination for the Thames, after being declared a member for City West, was lowering to Sir G. Grey, and shewed that the party by whom this was brought about could treat the Thames constituency as subservient. The attempt to return even a thrice-returned Governor and a Superintendent at their discretion --■>011 Id not find favour with the electors. He - .1 call upon the voters to return the < /irm~ who had hitherto been in all their troubles, and had stood by them in prosperity and adversity. He nominated Mr. C. F. Mitchell. Seconded by Mr. G. Greenville. T i c Mr. Butt proposed Mr. J. Mackay. seconded by Mr. Shaw, who, in doing so, spoke of him as a maligned individual. Mr. Cribb proposed Mr, John Sheehan. Seconded by Mr. Butler. The Returning-Officer asked if there were any more persons to be nominated, and, meeting with no response, called upon the candidates seriatim to reply. candidates who were present (fid so amidst the cheers, groans, and interruptionß of the assembly. The most noticeable parts of the addresses were that of Mr. A. Brodie and Mr. J. Mackay, who intimated that they tad no intention of contesting the election. The latter, however, took the opportunity of pitching into Sir G. Grey right and left, and said he would take an opportunity of confronting him at the Thames, if possible, on some future day. On a show of hacda being taken, the following was the result :— 3. Macltay J|2 W. Eowe 181 C. F. Mitchell .. 169 J. Gibbons 122 Sir George <Jrey 87 8. Stephenson .. •• •• •• 69 A. Corne3 60 A. Brodie .V .• •• 58 W. Carpenter 61 J. Leydon •• ,87 Sir J. Vogel.. .. .. .. 21 3. Shoehan 9 K. Graham 8 C. O'Neill .. 4 W. Campbell 2

"A'poll was demandedj'and will be'held on the 6th of January;- - A rote of thanks was given to the Returning Officer.