THE RECENT ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11243, 12 December 1899, Page 6

THE RECENT ELECTIONS.

AUCKLAND CITY. THE SCRUTINY COMPLETED. The scrutiny of the votes recorded in the Auckland City election, and the enumeration of the seamen's and commercial travellers' votes concluded yesterday, and as will be seen from the official notification under the hand of the returning officer, which appears elsewhere in this issue, the result of the election is not affected, Messrs. Napier, Fowlds, and Crowther being elected the members for the City. When the scrutiny was concluded it was found that Mr. Hobbs bad taken fourth place, with 12 votes more than Mr. Holland, but the seamen's and commercial travellers' votes gave Mr. Holland again an advantage, and at the close the position of the Various candidates was the same as announced on the night of the election. Following are the official figures, which include everything except one seaman's vote

When the scrutiny was concluded, Mr. G. J. Garland, who acted as scrutineer for Mr. Hobbs, handed the following to Mr. J King, returning officer, as indicating the satisfaction of the scrutineers with the proceedings :—" I, on behalf of the scrutineers for tho various candidates assembled at the Drill Shed, do hereby, for myself and the remaining scrutineers at the end of the scrutiny of the votes, certify that everything in connection with this scrutiny, as with the conduct of tbo election generally, has been carried out strictly in accordance with the law, and with absolute impartiality.— G. J. Garland."

Subsequently Mr. King received another document from the scrutineers as follows: — " We are quite satisfied with everything that lias gone on in the scrutiny up to the termination of the same.—Geo. J. Oakland, scrutineer for R. Hobbs; G. W. Cann, scrutineer for F. E. Baume; W. E. Hackett, scrutineer for W. J. Napier; H. Brabazon, scrutineer for A. Rosser; Geo. South, scrutineer for W. Crowther; J. S. Dickson, scrutineer for Geo. Fowlds.

Last night Mr. King and a staff of assistants were busy making up everything connected with the Parliamentary election for transmission to the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Immediately this work is completed Mr. King will deal with the details in connection with the licensing poll.

EDEN. A further scrutiny of the votes polled for Eden was held yesterday. It was thought at first that eight cases of duplicate voting had occurred, but some of them proved to be due to errors in ticking off the names on the rolls. It is expected that the scrutiny will be completed to-day. With reference to the votes rejected because the papers did not bear the returning officer's stamp, the Act emphatically provides that no such voto shall be allowed, as it is intended to prevent bogus papers getting into the ballot boxes.

POLITICAL GOSSIP. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Wellington, Monday. The report that Mr. Ward is to be Minister for Railways in the new Cabinet derives interest from the speeches made by Mr. Ward during the election contest. He intimated very plainly that a reduction of three halfpence a mile for first-class fares, and a penny a mile for second-class, was feasible, and that he would move in that direction. The Minister for Public Works (Mr. HallJones) returns to Wellington on Wednesday. The Minister for Lands and the Colonial Secretary (Mr. Carroll) will also return in a day or two. Messrs. Cadman and Thompson will probably proceed north towards the end of the week. It is rumoured that a second Auckland member will be included in the Cabinet. full Cabinet meeting mil be held on Wednesday or Thursday. Gisborne, Monday. It is said that it is intended to appoint a gentleman from this district to the Legislative Council, but 110 decision has yet been come to as to who the appointee shall be. [BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] Duxedin, Monday. The Hons. J. McKenzie and J. G. Ward arrived in town to-night.

OTAKI. [at TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Monday. No definite announcement as to the Otaki candidates will be made until after Mr. Field's funeral, which takes place to-mor-row. His interment will be private. Numerous candidates are already spoken of. Mr. Kennedy Macdonald is the most likely Government candidate, but Mr. Jellicoe will be asked, and Mr. W. H. Field, sdicitor, of Wellington, is also mentioned. Mr. Morrison will be the Opposition representative as before. The Otaki election will probably not take place till after the new year.

DUNEDIN. [by TELEGRAPH. —PR ASSOCIATION.] Dcnkdin, Monday. The official declaration of the poll for the city shows a slight increase of votes as follows: —Millar. 9045; Arnold, 8290; Barclay, 7363; Mackenzie, 6726; Sligo, 6415; Haynes, 4919 ; Chapman, 1222; informal, 463.

CAVEBSHAM. [BY TELEGRAPH.FRKSS ASSOCIATION.] Dunedik, Monday. In Caversham the official returns show that Mr. Morrison polled 2867 votes, and Mr. Warren 1752, while there were 56 informal vot«3.

RICCARTON. [BY telegraph —press association.] Cheistchurch, Monday. Nothing authentic has transpired with regard to the result of the recount of the votes in the Riccarton election, which is to be declared to-morrow, after consideration of further matters. It is rumoured, however, that the recount has given Mr. Russell a majority of two. 1

INVERCARGILL. [by telegraph.—press association.] Invercargill, Monday. The official returns are:—Hanan, 2451; Kelly, 2189.

9 C rt X . f- • 3 ► 0 •0 cJb £«? >>« > H P I*.® Candidates. j'SS £'-3 gt-> Total. 2 g § 52 K " '* &'> c ,|w 2 Is ■» _o_« W.J.Napier „ .. 6090 69 76 6097 George l'owlds «. .. 6604 64 45 6595 W. Crowther ... „ 4754 30 27 4751 J.J.Holland „ .. 4063 49 43 4057 R. Hobbs 4043 17 21 4047 F. E. Banme „ „ 3793 47 41 3792 A, llosser „ .. .. 3529 31 13 3511 S. Vaile 2453 7 10 2456 .lames Regan .. .. 1471 20 10 1470 R, French .. .. 1308 5 3 1360 P. Qninlan.. .. 341 8 1 3S4