WAIKOUAITI.

Otago Witness, Issue 1704, 19 July 1884, Page 10

WAIKOUAITI.

Th« nomination of candidates for the electoral district of Waikouaiti took place at the Courthouse, Hawksbury, on Tuesday at noon, there being fully 150 notions present. The Keturnlng-offlcer (Mr Smith) lead the writ. The following gentlemen were then nominated:— • , Mr James Arkle, proposed by Jambs Hbndbrson, seconded by John Poataous. Mr J. O. Buekland, proposed by Wm. Mai, seconded by Donald Ma&loch. Mr James Green, proposed by Robinson Bknthau, seconded byANDraw Affleck. The several candidates addressed the meeting in their order of nomination, the- applausa accorded «ach being frequent and hearty. Mr Grmn, who occupied f ully half an hour in his address, read a letter he had received at Wellington from Mr Donald Malloch bearing upon a claim he (Mr Ifalloch) had rendered to the County Council for £230, cost of making a road across the lagooa to connect his private property, and in which he wanted the member to get a clause inserted In the Counties Act empowering that body to pay the money, and Intimating ihat if such were not done election matters would be co \yorked that the Government would losethe support of ibo Waikouaiti member. Mr HaIiLOOH entered into an explanation about the letter read. He appeared to be in a Btate of excitement. The Show of hands resulted in 87 being hold up for Buekland, 16 for Arkle, and 7 for Green. Mr GttBBM demanded a poll. A vote of thanks to the returning-offlcer, proposed by Mr Arslb and seconded by Mr Bookland, closed the proceedings.

TUAPEKA.

At the nomination of candidates at noon on Tuesday, Messrs J. C. Brown and Francis Oudaille were proposed for the Tuapeka electorate. The (bow of hands was in favour of Mr Brown.

WAKATIPU.

* At the nomination on Tuesday Messrs T. Fergus, J. T, M. Homsby, and S. N. Brown were nominated. The «bow of iiands was— Fergus, 50 ; Hornsby, 12; Brown, 3, These was a large gathering, and the latter two candidates addressed the meeting. Mr Fergus was prevented from being present through his id juries not allowing htm to travel so fast as he wished to do. Mr J. A. Miller toaftde a few remarks in the absence of Hr Fergus.

HOKOlftjl.

For Hokonui on Tut ■ !ay, Thos. James Lumsden 'was proposed by Thomas Hhnry Coltman, seconded by Hbnry Crawford. Cuthbert Cowan was proposed by John Tjiomso ■, Ben., seconded by Thomas Black. Frank Stephen Canning was proposed by Wm Hhndbrson and seconded by John. White.

Justus Hobbs was proposed by Percy Dkvisraux, seconded by William Harris. The show of hands resulted :— Cowan, 23 ; Canning, 7 ; Jlobbs, 7 ; Lumsden, 4. Mr .Canning demanded a poll. Mr LJJMSDSN said he waa surprised that Mr Cowan came foiward, after the ordeal he had lately gone through at Jnvercargill. A scene h£ ie ensued, and the meeting refused to hear him further, and the Returning-officer asked him to leave the platto'.nn. Mr Hobbs asked the meeting to meet him iv tho evening, when he wori.'d address them. Mr Cow am said he catce forward at the request ot a large number of friends', Mr Canning thought he had as strong Bupporters aa Mr Cowan. Mr Canniso proposed, and Mr Cowan seconded, a vote of thanks to the retuming-oflleer. . <

MATAUBA.

At <he nomination for Mataura Captain Mackenzie and MrO. F, Richardson were proposed. The show tA hands waa equal, and after some squabblintr, Captain Mackenzie demanded a poll. It seems that the Captain's name 1b incorrectly spelled on the Mataura toll, and at the nomination Mr Shanks claimed that Mr Richardson should immediately ba declared «lect«d. The Returning-offlcer, however, refused to da this, pending inquiry. It is averted that Mackenzie s mwne appears on the Clutha and Dunstan roll?.

BRUCE.

The Courthouss was crowded at the nomination on Tuesday, tnd more interest was taken in the proceeding! than has characterised ar>y election for Mr James M'D) D *ld, the late member,' was nominated by Mr DtnrbOP, seconded by Mr E. Stewart. Mr Kobert Gillies was nominated by Mr James Adah, seconded by Mr W. Dusn. Mr Henry Driver, by Mr H. Clare, Beeonded by Mr ■HARD. Mr M'Dohald, in addressing the meeting:, said he ms certain be had the confidence of a large majority of the electors. Be had been told, that he had done M well and mucu better than was expected as their representative. Aa far aa he had gone, he believed be hid done as well as Mr Driver bad done, or as Mr Gillie* could do. He did not pretend to ability as a lecturer, or to u» tb» flowing language of,a public speaker, but be was satisfied he could exercise as much nower in tbe House aa either of the other candidates. He had been told before he was a week in the House that he made more friends than any member who ever entered it. He would, if elected, f?o determined to suDPorb any party pledged to oußt the present Government from tbe position they had no right to hold. He was strongly in favour of the extension tt local governing power. Any man not pledged to that object would scarcely be heard of in the new Parliament. He passed over the honorarium question in disgust. After referring to the claimß of the other candfaUtes, Mr M'Donald said he considered thjt he had as much right and ability to represent the district as either of them. Steps had been taken to

induce him to retire, but he had absolutely refused to do so.

Mr Gii,i,ißS would not refer to personal matters. He thanked the local paper for characterising his speech as the ableßt, and referred to a question asked in that paper as to what business he had here, and why he did not offer himself to a Dunedin constituency. His answer would be simple and effective. He came on the requisition of 347 electors, and he had no doobi the other candidates would be happy if they could plead the came justification. Hi^ canvass of the district had made him confident of BUCceB". It had been said on the last occasioa of his standing for Bruce that he had axes to grind, but the3e ghosts wore all laid. His interests in and associations with tho county were of a personal and sentimental character, which he considered more powerful than thousands o! pounds or millions ot awes. He had been asked to stand for five districts, but he held bac'x because ho knew Bruce had a quiet liking for him. Mr Drivbe did not intend to make a long speech or 1 indulge in any mud-throwing. He looked upon each of the three candidates as eligible, and whichever was returned he would be just aB happy and comtortablo, and he believed they would be fairly repraeatoit. His character and position stood on their own foundation. Ab lot himsalf, his interest was with them Ho did not now possess a chare in tho Agricultural Company. He owed it nothing, and it owed him nothing. If, as had been said, he did not attend to hi 3 duties in WeUinxton, why had he been sent there? No constituency he had ever reprosentel could S»y ha had ever neglected his duties ono iot>. But now he was entirely out of business. Heclaimed to bo on advocate of local industries, and had inve.-tel from £20,000 to £25,000 in a concern at Green Is'aud which waid £80 to £90 a week in wages. Tilings political were now all stirred up. The late Government were only carrying on business, like a deposed bank manager, till thoir successors came. If there were any chance of his vofca keeping them in office he would not give it. Upon a show of hands being taken, the result was announced as follows :— Driver, 35 ; Gillies, 28 ; M'Douald, 13. The result was received with»hearty and prolonged cheering. A poll was demanded by Mr Gillies.