TEE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 713, 23 July 1878, Page 2

TEE MAYORAL ELECTION.

We give below the numbers polled by Messrs. Steward and Sumpter at the several Wards, and also the addresses of those gentlemen, which were delivered at too late an hour last evening to admit of publication in yesterday's issue : The detailed result of the polling was as follows ;— ~ Steward. Sumpter. Thames Ward ... 6'o 46 Jetty Ward ... 43 3S Severn Ward ... 69 62 Bigh Ward ... 5S 39 230 185 Councillor Gibbs, having stated the result of the poll, declared Mr-. Steward duly elected. Mr. Steward, who was cheered on appearing at the windo.w of the Conncil Chambers, thanked the electors for having again elected him as Mayor. It would be the last time that he or probably any of his kith or kin would occupy the position which he then filled. He would solemnly assure them that, under no circumstances would he again offer himself for election as Mayor, so that Mr. Sumpter, or whoever else chose to seek the position at the end of the year, would be unopposed by him. But this year he would have shirked his duty had he not responded to the invitation which he had reoeived, as well from the Council as from the citizens, to place his services at their disposal. He expressed the satisfaction he felt in knowing that, throughout a sharp contest, there had been nothing said by either himself or the gentleman who had opposed him which oo.«*Jd give pain or annoyance to either, The issue before the ratepayers had been purely a personaj one whether Mr. Sumpter or himself should be returned. There had been no principle at stake. He felt quite sure that had Mr. Sumpter been at the head of the poll instead of himself, the duties of the office wou}d have been as faithfully discharged a,s he (Mr. Steward) hoped to di«toha.rge them. Having once nuipe thanked the electors for electing hjm, he expressed a hope that whpn he went out of ofliao at the end of the year, he would leave the town in a better condition, financially and otherwise, than it then was, Mr, Sumpter (who was cheered on making his appearance) said that he came before them as a defeated candidate, which was, of course, not a very pleasant position to occupy ; but, for his own part, he hardly expected a different result, as he came forward so late, jjj|e had, however, faithfully kept the promise he had made of again offering them his services when his health permitted him to do ao. They had decided not to accept them, Had they done so, they would have been willingly given, and he believed fchat they would have been useful under- the present circumstances. Bv(t, doubtless, it was better, so fan as he was. personally concerned, that he had not been elected. He thanked those gentlemen who had endeavoured to seou:je hia return, and those ratepayers who had voted for him.