ELECTION FOR CITY EAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4409, 31 December 1875, Page 3

ELECTION FOR CITY EAST.

MR. REES RETURNED. The polling for the election of one member to represent Auckland City East,, was held in the Mechanic's Institute yesterday. There was a very hard struggle and close contest for the seat. Nearly all the cabs aud conveyances iu the city were hired for electioneering purposes in the interest of one or other of the candidates. The excitement commenced with the opening of the poll, and continued throughout the day. Party feeling ran high, but was kept within moderate bounds. A very badly drawn cartoon, intended to represent men vomiting several thousand acres of swamp land, was posted on Mr. Rees' committee-room. The conception of this work of art was equalled by its execution. During the afternoon papers were posted about stating that Mr. Clark had been nominated for Eden. This was true, but was not the whole truth, and as it was calculated to mislead, was reprehensible. The fact was that Mr. Clark, without his consent, was nominated at Eden, but anticipating that this might be done, he had placed his resignation in the hands of the Returning Officer prior to the nomination. A little later a bill was posted in the interests of Mr. Clark, stating that he had been nominated by Mr. Rees' party, and had refused to stand. This statement was also partly incorrcct, as Mr. Clark had been nominated by his friend,s though without his consent. The supporters of either candidate worked so hard during the early part of the day, that late in the afternoon nearly all the votes had been recorded, and the excitement gradually diminished. Shortly after three o'clock it began to rain, and the rain kept on steadily long after the result of the election was known. The rail, must have prevented roany from attending ; but at four o'clock:, when tho poll was closed, it large number of persons, about two hundred and fifty, had assembled and waited anxiously to learn the result. The friends of both candidates claimed to expect a. considerable majority, and the greatest uncertainty existed as to the probable result ef the poll. At half-past four o'clock the poll was made knowu, and was as follows :

W. L. Kee3 300 J. M. Clark 2U6 Majority tor Mr. Eces 5-1 Infoimal votes, 8; double rotes, 2. Mr. Rees, who was greeted with loud cheers, stood ou the rail wall o£ the old Wesleyan Church, and addressed the electors as follows :—Gentlemen, —There will be an official declaration of the poll in a few days, and therefore, amidst all this pouring rain, I will not detain you. Believe me, lam very much obliged to those gentlemen who voted for me on this occasion, and especially to those who have worked so earnestly to return me in the interests of the people for this important constituency. J, gentlemen, myself know that on both sides in this contest there has been the best feeling and tho mest honest fair-play, and I believe that the contest has been on its merits, and that you have returned me in the interests of the people. (Loud cheerß.) I can assure you of this, electors of City East, that, although we have heard a good deal about both candi- • dates being pledged to the same set of interests, I can assure you that from one end of New Zealand to tho other the result of this election will be accepted as telling in the interests of Sir George Grey. I shall now do no more than thank you for the earnest and arduous manner in which you have worked in the contest now decided. (Cheers.) Mr. Rees wa3 loudly cheered by the crowd, by whom he was followed for a considerable distance.