THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 6462, 30 December 1881, Page 6

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

POLLING DAY. J Never before waa there & day on which there was such general political excitement throughout the colony as there was on Dec. 9. the day upon which the whole of the contested elections fop members of the House of Representatives were decided. Hitherto, Returning Officers had a considerable degree of latitude allowed them with regard to the fixing of the dates for nominations and polling, and thus many instances occurred in which the date for the former was not fixed upon until contested elections in many other districts were decided. Under the new law, however, the polling throughout the colony must take place on one day. The various questions which have recently been brought prominently before the public, either in Parliament or by candidates who had a specialty wherewith to go before the electors, had been very freely discussed, and as the polling day drew nearer and nearer the excitement grew in proportion. So far as the city of Wellington was concerned, it was almost impossible to discuss any subject in a reasonable manner, nothing but politics being talked in every hotel and shop and by knots of persons at street corners. The Corrupt Practices Act appears to have been almost entirely a dead letter, for not only did the supporters of the different candidates find means for sticking as many bills as they chose for days beforehand, but numerous cabs and other vehicles bearing the names of the candidates were to be seen conveying voters to the polling bcetha. The Act evidently did not contemplate that cabs could be purchased weeks beforehand, that the owners of other vehicles could be sufficiently enthusiastic to run them on their own account for the benefit of their candidate, or that large crowds of these friends could be enthusiastic enough to act as billstickers. Business in the city was almost entirely suspended while the polling was in process, and politics ruled supreme. The Thomdon end alone appeared to be tolerably quiet, there being scarcely any doubt as to the ultimate result. Yet the number of votes polled at the two booths was by no means small. Daring the evening a large crowd assembled in front of the New Zeaxasto Times office, where the telegraphic returns were posted up as soon as they were received. Thanks to the excellent arrangements which were made by the United Press Association, they came to hand with the least possible delay. Many of them are of necessity incomplete, owing to some of the polling places being too far removed from telegraph stations to permit of the results being sent in, but none of these are likely to affect the figures given in a material way. We give the returns so far as they are known. TE ARO. , The public interest evinced in the election for this district was considerable throughout yesterday, A large crowd of people gathered around the polling booth and discussed, with more or less vehemence, the qualifications and claims of the respective candidates. Vehicles of every description, bearing posters of various devices, were kept constantly going, bringing voters to the poll, from early in the forenoon to within a minute of the closing of the poll. Amongst the many placards posted on every available space, here, there and everywhere, the following may be quoted :—“ Voters, the contest lies between Stafford and Shaw. Vote for Stafford.” *‘Shaw and the £6OO, hurrah ! Yes, Sir ; they threw out my petition. Wait till I get there myself. Hurrah for Shaw and bis petition, and his £600.” “ Voters, don't try another Bartonexperiment. Vote straight for, Stafford,” “ Vote for J, H. Shaw and the true Liberal candidate.” Mr C. Johnston was represented by a modest poster bearing the words “Vote for Johnston.” Each candi-

date appeared to have secured well-organised Committees, by whom every nerve was strained to secure votes. Mr O. Johnston's

Committee, captained by Mr T. Gale, worked with a determination to win at all hazards,

and their energy was unflagging from the start to the finish. After the close of the poll the excitement amongst the hundreds of people gathered in the vicinity of the polling booth increased, and a considerable amount of chaff, and, in one or two instances, stronger language was indulged in. The inevitable flour-bag again played a conspicuous part, but the little “peltings” were accepted by the crowd with apparent good humor. Shortly before 7 o’clock the Returning Officer, Mr W. P. James, announced the result of the polling as follows: Johnston ... ... ... 397 Shaw ... ... 342 Stafford 321 The result was received by Mr Johnston’s supporters with deafening applause and loud cheering, which lasted several minutes. During a lull in the excitement, Mr Johnston was heard to express, in a few brief words, his thanks for the honor done him, and to acknowledge in hearty terms the active exertions of bis Committee, to whom he said his success was entirely due. Messrs Shaw and Stafford next returned thanks for the support accorded them, but it was impossible to bear, anything further, as the crowd appeared completely . carried away by excitement, cheer following cheer until the successful member retired inside the building. Mr Johnston was subsequently placed in a cab, from which the horses had been removed, and by about 200 of his enthusiastic supporters . the vehicle was dragged through the town, amidst vociferous cheering, to Mr Johnston’s private residence in Hobson-street. He was then carried shoulder-high inside his house, but shortly, in company with Mrs Johnston and family, reappeared on the balcony. This was a signal for more cheering ; and when, after several minutes, silence was obtained, Mrs Johnston, amidst a waving of hats and handkerchiefs, thanked the electors and those present for their hearty applause, and also for the honor shown her husband. After “ Three cheers for Mrs Johnston,” Mr Johnston again tendered his thanks, and the crowd, feeling sure they had 'bravely done their duty, dispersed, previous to which, however, a round of cheers was given for Mr Gale, who, by his indefatigable energy and knowledge of electioneering tactics, was largely instrumental in securing, with the Committee’s co-operation, his chieftain's return. Later on in the evening the band of the Naval Brigade marched up to Mr Johnston’s residence, and there serenaded, in an appropriate manner, their Captain’s return to Parliament, THORNDON. Probably there was less excitement observable in this constituency than in either of the other two city electorates. The majority of the electors polled before noon, and by 4 o’clock “ Levin is in by a large majority ” had almost become a password. Indeed, Mr Dwan’s supporters had by that time given up their efforts, and abandoned their man to his fate. The prognostications proved perfectly correct, as the figures below will show. There were two polling booths, one in Willis-street and the other in Charlotte-street, opposite the Government House, The majority of the electors recorded their votes at the latter place. The Returning Officer, Mr Hay, at 7 o’clock, announced the result of the poll as follows: . Willis-st. Charlotte-st. Total. Levin ... 211 561 772 Dwan ... 116 112 228 Majority for Levin ... 544 Informed votes ... 8 The announcement was received with loud cheers. Mr Levin came forward, and said that ha thanked the electors from the. bottom of his heart for the very great honor they had dona him in returning him for a constituency of the City of Wellington by so unanimous a majority. He also thanked the gentlemen who formed his Committee for giving up their time in his behalf, and in conclusion promised to do in the future as he had done in the past, and to use all his endeavors for the benefit of Wellington. There were about 400 persons present, who vociferously cheered Mr Levin at the conclusion of his remarks. Mr Dwan did not address the electors, SOUTH WELLINGTON. Far and away the greatest amount of excitement in any of the City elections was evinced at this electorate, and this for several and sufficient reasons. Of course the “outward and visible signs ” of the day’s proceedings were concentrated at the sole and single booth of the electoral division of Te Aro, which was really a halting-place between the other two city booths. Unquestionably the largest display of feeling was experienced in South Wellington, the front of the central booth of which, situated at the Princess Theatre, in Tory-street, was decidedly the centre of attraction during the whole of the day. The other booths, situated at the Ade-laide-road Music Hall at Newtown, and a woolshed at Kilbirnie, were, comparatively speaking, deserted daring the whole of the day. Kilbirnie more particularly was a most uninterest-

log booth, on account of the very few electors who were entitled to poll in that Remarkably quiet district, in which there are only about thirty voters. The business at this booth was concluded at an early hour, and before noon the duties of the Deputy Returning Officer, the scrutineers, and poll clerks must have proved uninteresting and monotonous to a degree. And at Newtown the proceedings were net much more enlivening. Occasionally a vehicle drove up to the Hall, and the “ free enlightened" voters it contained, accompanied by a sprinkling of adherents and par* tizans of the respective candidates, entered the booth, and recorded their votes as conscience demanded of them. The ** men at the door," with their rolls, and the solitary policeman in .attendance, seemed to have an exceedingly busy time of it, and performed their work in a decorous manner, fitting to the occasion. The excitement of the day, »o far as this electorate was concerned, was concentrated at the principal booth at the Princess Theatre, and at this pointfrorm the opening of the poll till after the declaration of the state thereof, there was an incessant bubble of excitement. It is exceedingly doubtful if the Corrupt Practices Prevention Bill had the effect intended by tbe Legislature in preventing the hiring of cabs, the treating of electors, and the other multifarious and ingenious methods which are employed at election times in driving imaginary vehicles through Acta of Parliament. No doubt the various candidates kept strictly within the “ four corners of the Act,” but their supporters evidently experienced very little difficulty, being brought to the poll in as “ easy and accessible ** a manner as characterised former contests for the Legislature. The Act alluded to yesterday proved itself to be a lamentable failure, so far as it refers to bringing voters to the polL It is decidedly more easy to drive a cab and pair through an Act of Parliament than it is to trot a coach of four through a similar statute. The , moat extraordinary and heterogeneous collection of wheeled vehicles were called into requisition for the occasion, and the same remark applies to the varied description and breed of animals which were employed as the motive power of progression. Every kind of two and four-wheeled u carriage " was enlisted from a stylish laudan to a pretty correct copy of Noah’s ark. The “ free and independent," however, were brought up to “ the place wherein it is demanded of duty to speak the truth," and as no casualty has beta reported, it may be presumed that none of any serious moment occurred. The electorate may be congratulated upon the fact that the utmost good humor and sobriety prevailed throughout the trying day. Tbe district was under the control of Sergeant Price, who with his men was quite en rapport with the electors. It is satisfactory to be able to state that not the slightest attempt atiowyismof the slightest description was shown by those who visited the booth or the neighborhood. There was almost a total absence of anything approaching electioneering squibs, and the contest may be described as having been conducted on the most fair and honorable principles as between the various candidates. The candidates were most close in their attendance at the central booth, and their presence evidently encouraged their more prominent partizaus to increased exertions. Punctually at 6 o’clock the doors of tho booth closed, and the work of counting the ballot papers was commenced. At 7 o’clock Mr H. E. Da Bath Brandon delivered the returns as follows :

UCUUIOJ 1A X X XX Majority for Hutchison—Bl. The announcement of the result was received with loud cheers, expressions of disappointment being Tory faint and few. The electors patiently waited for more than half-an-hour after the declaration of the poll, but as neither the successful candidate nor the other candidates put in an appearance, the people quietly dispersed.

The following are the returns corrected by those sent in to the Clerk of the Writs. AUCKLAND. Auckland Citt West. J. M. Dargaville 253 A. Flemming ... 201 Dr. Wallis 119 Auckland Out East. Sir George Grey 349 J. M. Clark 315 Auckland Cm Nobth. T. Peacock*' 346 W. L. Bees 320 Garrard ... ... ... 4 Marsden. O. Michelson ... 661 G. E. Alderton... ... ... 373 McLeod 102 BODNEY. Seymour. T. George ... ... 444 Shepherd ... ... ... 351 H. W. Famall ... 28 Coromandel. C. Cadman ... ... ... 503 J. Erodie ... ... ... 338 J. Mackey 281 Young ... 0 Waipa. F. Whitaker ... 432 Major Jackson... ... ... 394 Johns ... ... ... 236 Waitemata. W, J. Hurst ... .... ... 566 Alison ... ... ... 241 Fkankltn North. Major Harris 323 P. F. Buokland 321 S. Lake... 154 F. Gordoh : ... ••• 8 Franklyn South. E. Hamlin : ;.. ... ... 478 Lawry ... 351 Parnell. F. Moss 393 K. Monk ... 174 Eden. J. Pole 451 E. G. Wood 188 Manukau. Sir G. M. O’Rorke 375 O. C. McGee 215 Thames. J. Sheehan , ... ... ... 546 W. J. Speight 629 Taubanga. Morris 381 Vesey Stewart .. ... ... 371 W. Kelly ... 301 East Coast. A. McDonald ... 441 S. Locke 422 A. Porter ... ... ... 180 M. J. Gannon 141 Bat op Islands. B. Hobbs 525 J. London ... ... ... 295 CANTERBURY. Christchurch North Thompson ... 577 Andrews ... ... ... 466 Christchurch South. J. Holmes „. ... ... 673 J. Anderson ... 560 Sydenham. W. White ... 662 C. Clark., ... 163 J. W. Treadwell ... 11l J. E. Andrew ... ... 70 Coleridge. D. McMillan 35« J. D. Enya 151 J. Jebson 117 Lincoln. A. P. O'Callaghan 277 H. W. Perriman 155 Stanmorb. W. H. Pilliet 382 W. P. Cowliahaw ... ... 362 W. Flesher 303 Ashley. W. F. Pearson 385 J. Guild 202 M. Dixon 158 Cunningham 104 Patterson 9 Geraldine. W. Postleth waits 515 E. Wakefield 482 J. Hayhurat ... 63 Gladstone. J. H. Sntton 302 T. Fisher 251 D. Anderson ... ... ... 76 H. J. Newton 11 W AM ATE. W. J. Steward ... 490 J J. Manchester 332 J. E. Clement 47 P. Bateman 41 St. Albans. J. E. Brown 218 J. L. Wilson 168 A, H. O’Neill 85 SHLWTN, J. Hall ... 469 J. Lockhead 169 Wahasui. J. C. Wason 445 J.ltbss 43S C. W. Parnell 74

Lyttelton. H. Allwright 259 E. Richardson ... ... ... 248 S. R. Webb 246 „ Timaru. R. Turaball 413 J. S. Gibson ... ... ... 150 J. T. Partridge... 77 Kaiapoi. I. Wilson ... 510 J. W.Lee ... ... 347 Heaihcote. Wynn Williams 243 Major Hornbrook ... ... 167 J. T. Fisher 119 Cheviot. H. Mcllraith ... ... ... 359 A. Saunders ... ... ... 339 W. C.Feadall 112 HAWKE’S BAY. Hawak’s Bat. F. Sutton ... 495 W. R. Russell ... ... ... 4SB Napieb. J. Buchanan 489 J. W. McDougall ... ... 167 J. McSweenev ... ••• 114 WaIPAWA. W. C. Smith 579 J. D. Ormond ... ••• 554 MARLBOROUGH. Waisau. H. Dodson ... ... ••• 550 A. P. Seymoor 381 PICTOJf. E. T.Conolly 357 W. H. Eyes 311 NELSON. Motobka. R. Hnrathouae ... ... ... 344 W. Gibbs 269 E. Huddlestone 79 Waimba. J. Shephard ... ... 360 J. 0. Richmond 194 Bullish. v C J. Munro ... ••• 463 E. O'Connor ... ... ••• 41* , Gbbymoum. ' J. Petrie 70U , . F. Guinness ... ... ••• 653 D. Madden - OTAGO. Dunedin West. Thomas Dick ... ... ... 459 W. D. Stewart 451 Ddnedik East. M. W. Green ... ... ' 437 J. U. Davis 470 Dunedin South. H. S. Fish 555 A. H. Ross ... ... 203 Dunedin Central. T. Bracken ... ... 340 E. B. Cargill 320 H. Bastings ... 263 W. Dickson ... 76J. Graham 43 Oamaeu. S. E. Shrimski 396 J. Hassell 339 Tuateea. LC. Brown ... ... ••• 482 G. F. C. Browne ... ... 444 Moeraki. J. McKenzie ... 364 W. H. W. Murcott R 9 Baucis. J. Rutherford 551 W. A. Murray ... ... 401 J. Adam ••• 167 Rosltn. J. Bathgate ... ... ••• 347 -Scott ■ ... 327 E. Hodgkinaon 247 Waitaki. Thomas Duncan ... ... 368 J, Reid 339 Waikouaiti. J. Green ... ... 247 A. C. Thompson ... ... 133 Dunstan. V. Pvke 529 W. Fraser 480 Mount Ida. C. A. De Lautour 329 J. S. McKenzie ... 301 Olutha. J. W. Thompson 285 A. N. Jowett 227 Peninsula. J. Seaton 295 W. H. Cutten 284 M. Donnelly ... ... 203 J. Lewis 54 Hokonui. H. Driver 524 C. Cowan ... ... 418 P. T. Finn ..._ HI One returns to come in. Wakatipd. A. Fergus ... 682 A. C. Thompson 497 A. Moßrille ... _ 70 Three returns to come is. SOUTHLAND. Invercargill. H. Feld wick ... 771 J. Hatch 385 Matacba. Captain McKenzie 382 G. F. Richardson 169 J. T. Thompson 135 One returns tojcome in. Wallace. S. Daniels 257 H. Hirst ... ... 256 J. Mclntosh 217 J. C. Ellis 154 H. S. Hodgkinsou ... ... 124 W. Johnstone 15 J. C. Buttolph 13 Awabua. J. P. Joyce 582 J. W. Bain 267 D. Smith 141 A. Kinross 84TABANAKX. Taeanaex Col. Trimble 321 J. Colesby Eghont. H, A. Atkinson 737 G. Hutchison ... ... ... 400 New Plymouth. T. Kelly ... 328 Major Brown ... . ... 179 WELLINGTON. Hutt. T. Mason 400 H. Jackson ... ... ... 348 M. L, Marks 50 D. Sinclair 14 Waibaeapa South. W. C. Buchanan 435 H. Bunny 370 B. Boys 133 Wairaeapa North; G. Beetham ... ... ... 670 A. W. Renall 351 Foxton. J. G. Wilson 379> C. B. Izard ... ... ... 243 W. G. Russell 227 W. L. Buller ... ... * ... 212 A. E. Newman 199 W. Franoe 62 Rakgitikei. J. Stevens 491 Sir W. Fox 489 WANGANUI. W. H. Watt 397 J. Ballance 398 WESTLAND. INANGAHUA. T. S. Weston 742 R. J. H. Reeves .. . ... 512 W. McLean 39 Hokitika. G. J. Fitzgerald ... ... 63S B. C. Reid ... - 482 One return to come. Kciiap.a. R. J. Seddon 700 E. Blake 624

Princess Theatre Adelaide road Kilbirnie Total. Hutchison 589 77 5 471 Coffey ... 354 29 7 390 Edwards 218 35 4 257 Hendroy 12 1 1 14