DECLARATION OF THE POLL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8064, 4 October 1887, Page 6

DECLARATION OF THE POLL.

NEWTON KLIIiOTOR^TE. Nook yesterday was the appointed time for the declaration of the recent poll for choice of a representative for the Newton electorate. Quito unexpectedly, there was a large attendance at St. George's Hall (the prinoipal polling booth) On the arrival of Mr. Withy with the Returning Officer, he was received with applause, and Sydney Taiwhanga, who came in with Mr. Withy, was also applauded. Mr. Bkai.k, Returning Officer, said it was now his duty to perforin the last act in the election drama, that of officially announcing the result of the poll which had been taken for the eleotion of a member for Newton. The result of the poll would have been deolared beforo, only that a scrutiny was asked for by one of the candidates, and this took some time, and made a slight alteration in the number at first announced. The result; of the poll was — Garratt, 170; Tole, 600 ; Withy, 101- (The announcement was received with cheers ) The returning officer continued, that this gave a majority of 95 votes tor Mr. Withy, and he therefore deolared Mr. E. Withy duly elected to represent the Newton electoral distriot in the parliament of New Zealand. (Cheers.) He would liko to add in answer to what had appeared in one of the newspapers, signed "Colonus," in regard to there being' five double votes, that no one knew how any individual voted—(cheers) —and there was no interference with the secrecy of the ballot.

Mr. Withy, who was received with prolonged applause, said he was particularly j pleased with the last statement made by the Returning Officer, for he was anxious that no person should have an opportunity of knowing how anyone voted, and he was satisfied to know that the secrecy of the ballot had - not been infringed. It was his duty now to thank those who hai voted for him. and supported him, and also to thank those who opposed him, for the patient hearing they bad given him when he gave utterance to sentiment* whioh must have b«en unpalatable ; and he was glad to say that with very slight exceptions, not worth noticing, he had received no insult .or- affront. Mr. Tole was absent, g- and he did not mean to throw stones after him to Wellington. He (Mr. VVithy) had often used the shield in self-defence, but he had studiously avoided being offensive to those who were opposed to him. (Oneers.) He was not without sympathy for both of the defeated candidates. One of them had been a representative for many years, and his defeat on j the present occasion, must be a sore disappointment to him, and he (Mr. Withy) honoured the loyalty of those ho supported their old friend. (Cheers.) He had, therefore, no quarrel with either of the candidates or any of those who opposed him. To the losers, however, there were several consolations now that the heat of the contest was over. He was a thorough believer in freetrade, but in the coufliot the explanations which he gave were left out by his opponents, and they represented that he was a freetrader, and a dangerous man, but if the electors hail carefully remembered his statements they would see that he was not so Quixotic in regard to freetrade as to sweep away any necessary tariff, and now those candidates who were defeated may take consolation from the faot that he was not so rabid a freetrader as he had been represented. (Cheers.) It had been said regarding him that he had been an employer of labour in t"*e old oountry, but in the old country employers of labour were not such bugbears as thoy were represented to be. Their own experience of employers of labour in this oountry should lead them to think otherwise, and this was only used as an election cry. It would be more to the point if his opponents had been able to show that he was worse than others — (cheers) — and they would have ample opportunity during the next three years to make inquiries, and he did not fear the result. When he was the representative of employers, he fought their battles. It had been thrown up to him that he was a ten hours boss. He was so for a few years, and then the nine hours system came in, and ho opposed it, although he was not in sympathy with long hours or low wages. Toe Radical party in New Zealand appeared to be broken up, but if there was a Radioal party in the House, he should belong to it. (Cheers.) The principal difficulties he felt with regard to the recent Government was, that they (and not only they, but their predecessors), had brought the country into a bad condition. He, as a comparative stranger, had a better opportunity for observing than perhaps those wOo were older residents, and he observed that there was far too much inclination to work. on borrowed money by the Government, by local bodies, and by traders. It was quits legitimate to work on borrowed money to a certain extent, bat oare should be taken not to borrow more than could be profitably employed, and that a sinking fund should be provided for. As to who the coming men in Parliament were to be, he did not know. Tne Governor had, under the circumstances, adopted the regular course in sending for Major Atkinson, but whether he (Mr. Withy) should support Major Atkinson or not, he did not know, and he should be exceedingly careful as to bow be should ally himself with any party. But as to land rings he should always be on the opposite side; and. although an ardent teetotaller, he looked on the land question as the most important question of the day the one thing which increased in value with population, and that increase should go to the State(cheers) ; —but, while believing in the doctrine of the nationalisation of land, he did not think that could bo accepted for many years, but he thought that a stop might be put to many practices which now existed. Land monopoly was what led to the unjust distrif ition of wealth. He did not want to see Acts brought in here, or in the British House of Commons, to try to regulate wealth, but he wanted to see land monopoly swept away. (Cheers.) Another thing that struck him during this election was the necessity for a change in the electoral laws, and he was glad to see in one of the papers an artiole on the subject. He should do what he could to ascertain what the laws were in America on this question, and they may be able to get some useful hints from that quarter. He would not detain them turther, but thank them heartily for having elected him as their representative, and to assure them that ho would endeavour to attend to their interests without partiality for thiSJ who had supported him, but that he would show the same impartiality to those who had honestly opposed him, (Loud and prolouged cheering.) * Mr. Garuatt, who wai received with applause, said as a defeated candidate he would now address them. He had no speech prepared, or any notes made, and such remarks as he should make were those suggested by Mr. Withy's speech. He stated that his opponent's had called him a dangerous man, on account of his freetrade priuoiples, and he (Mr. Garratt) now thougut him more dangerous than ever, but Mr. Withy rung the keynote in his remark* in regard to the mode of election, and with those remarks he quite agreed. He was sure Mr, Withy would pardon him if he drew attention to one officer who was unfit for his duty, .and had he been returned to Parliament instead of Mr. Withy, he should cert»inly have called attention to it. He spoke after personal knowledge of Mr. Collins, and did not think it right that ho should receive the claims of those who claimed to vote, and make no record of those claims in case they wore destroyed. A candidate could not see these claims, not even the manuscript rolls, not until they earns out of the hand# of the printer*, and when it oame to accusations being made of papers being abstracted in consequence of the incapacity of the registration officer, it was time that something should be done. Another registration officer in this district, Mr. Seaman,' ported the names of each applicant wheie they «ore available for inspection. Although it might bo considered that he (Mr, Garratt), had received a crushing blow, he felt that he had done nothing which could cause him to blush. It was under the pressure of friends, and with strong promises of support and belioviiig that he should receive » fair share of support that ho entered this contest, and he, fro a the first moment, determined to make no personal remark regarding the other candidates, unless the gage of battle was thrown down, and then he should not refuse to accept it. But throughout the election, tho spirit of chivalry appeared to prevail amongst the successful candidates— (cheers)and numerous instances had been recorded of suoce-sful candidates having offered their seats. Now, it would surprise his (Mr Garratt's) supporters to learn he was also offered a seat, but he was—(cheers) and he thought it incumbent on him to name the sea t it was a back seat. (Cheers, and laughter.) He felt ho had done nothing to

disgrace himself, and, no far as his being an express man, he was satisfied that he gained a living for himself and his family, and he never intended to cloak his position. He felt no shame for anything he had done. (Cheers.) Though defeated, he thought that his opponents might be generous. The cost of the election 1 ' was large. It was a hard fight; but now one of his opponents wanted to make out that his (Mr. Garratt's) expenses, which had been paid out of his own hard earnings, were to be' paid by Mr. Withy—(interruption)— but he assured them that, up to the day of the election, he had never exchanged a word with Mr. Withy, nor was he approached by any of Mr. Withy's supporters. (Cheers.) He thanked those who voted for him notwithstanding the remarks made regarding him, and probably against their own feel ings. (Cheers and interruption.) [At this stage a man was removed from the hall by the police, and the interruption ceased.] He (Mr. Garratt) would prefer now to be the defeated candidate rather than lie in the position of those who led him to expoot their votes, and then left him in the lurch. They were recreant to their pledges, and recreants at heart, (Cheers.) He heartily thanked the 170 electors who voted for him, and was only sorry that he did not know them, so that he might thank them personally. (Cheers.) On the motion of AJr. Withy, seconded by Mr. Gakkatt, a vote of thanks was aooorded by acclamation to Mr. Beale, Returning Officer, and Mr. Slator, Deputy Returning Offi )er. Tne meeting broke up with three cheers for Mr. Withy, and cheers for Mr. Garratt. WAITEMATA. The official declaration of the result of the polling lor the constituency of Waitemata took place yesterday at noon, at the Borough Council Chambers, Devonport. About 30 people were present. Tne Returning Officer (Mr. Seaman) formally announced the resulc of the poll as 883 votes for Mr. Monk, 510 for Mr. Reader Wood, and 13 informal. Ho therefore deolared Mr. Monk duly eleoted f|S their representative. He congratulated them all on the good feeling displayed throughout the contest and explained bis refusal to give a voting paper to a certain eleotor. He had been perfectly justified in doing so, as the man's name had at his own request been removed from the Waitemata to the Marsden roll.

Mr. Monk then addressed the meeting. He thanked the electors for having elected him, and hoped they would watch him closely and give him all the help and sympathy they could. He had had help from such a variety of classes that he must consider himself the representative of Waitemata indeed. He had been supported by the gumd<ggers, by the village settlers, by the dwellers in the strawberry field. The sugar workers had also flung in a considerable measure of sweetness iuto what might have proved to be a cup of bitterness. All that they desired him to do he would do to the utmost of his ability, and he would not ask whether they voted for or against him, but would serve all indiscriminately. He would devote his services, not only to the electors of Waitemata, but to the whole colony. The result of the election had convinced him more than ever of the fickleness of the popular will. A few years ago he would have thought it impossible for Mr. Bryco not to have been elected. He considered his defeat a political misfortune to the colony, and he considered the country owed him a great deal. Some time ago, when a member of the aristocracy disgraced his knightly name by slandering Mr. Bryoe, and through him the colony, Mr, Bryce not only refuted that slander on his own name, but destroyed what might have been a historical infamy on the name of New Zaalaud. He of all men was the most fitted, by bis stern determination, to carry out the political reforms which were before as. The man who was not afraid to faoe the rifles of trie Maoris,, or expose his life to the gleaming axe of the exasperated natives, would not have shrunk from carrying out the necessary retrenchment. Speaking of the want-ot« confidence motion against the Government, he said the}' would have placed the Opposition in a very difficult position, as the Ministry would then have been in a position to harp on the failings of the Opposition, instead of having their own shortcomings exposed. He had said the time would oome when they would eleot their own Governor, and he now felt more convinced than ever of this. If our present Governor had been elected from the people, he would probably not have so hastily granted a dissolution, and plunged the country into an election. He would have advised the Ministry to resign, and let the Opposition try to formulate a policy. Touching on the reported arrangement made by isir Julius Vogel, he warned them not to be led away by such statements, as there was nothing in them. They would find that the " deficiency wolves " had been let loose on the North Island Trunk loan, and it meant that the powers in the hands of the State had been hypothecated, and Parliament would have to vote tor further loans in order to relieve that engagement on the part of the oolony to do these works before they could be carried out. As for the political prospects of the election, he regretted it was not more emphatically against the Government to enable necessary relorms to be carried out. If the people abroad felt that they were going to set their house in order, capital would again begin to flow into the colony, and confidence would again be established. This could only be secured by a thoroughly effective and efficient Mi- ;atry. (Applause.) A great many frien.is of his had told him Sir J. Vogel was a very clever man, And they would uot be able to do without him, but he considered the Colonial Treasurer was too clever by far for the requirements of this colony, and he did not waver in the slightest from the purpose of opposition he had expressed on the platform. But he did not yet know whether he was going to be a supporter of the next Ministry that was formed or not. He would support any Ministry that would carry out the necessary reforms, and introduce that elasticity that was necessary for the welfare of this colony. Suoh a Ministry would not need to send in whips to ask him how he was going to vote. (Applause.) Mr. Rkadbk Wood then heartily and cordially thauked the 510 electors who had voted for him without solicitation or influence of any kind having been applied by him. He had not solicited any votes, but left it entirely to the people to put him in or uot as they saw fit. He had also to thank the gentlemen who had formed his commit/ 1 tees tor the cordial assistance they had given him. In his tour through the distriot lie had made a great many new friends, and he hoped he had made no enemies. (Hear, hear.) He had said nothiug, or done nothing to cause any ill-feeling, and he was on perfootly good terms . with his friend, Mr. Monk. (Applause.) They Had much to expect from tho Parliament whioh had been eleoted, and it that Parliament got the couutry out of the financial difficulties it was involved in, it would deserve well of tho oolony. He thanked them all again, and wished them all farewell. (Applause.) Mr. Monk proposed a vote of thanks to the Returning fficer for the able inauuer in which the election had beeu conducted. There had been no hitch anywhere, and the whole thing passed off harmoniously and efficiently. Ho hoped it would be three years before his services would be required again. Mr. Wood seconded the vote, whioh was cairied amid applause.