THE WELLINGTON ELECTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2369, 27 July 1899, Page 34

THE WELLINGTON ELECTION.

EE-ELECTION OF MR JOHN HUTCHESON. A SWEEPING MAJORITY. WELLINGTON, July 25. The palling for the election- of a member to represent Wellington in the House "of Representatives took place to-day. The vacancy was caused by Mr J. Hutcheson, the senior member, resigning his seat, and he now sought re-election at the hands of the electors. ' Mr Hutcheson was only in a minority at two booths, being 43 behind his opponent at the Victoria Hall _ (Adelaide road) and, one behind at the Criterion Theatre (Manners street). After the final return came to hand, and Mx Hutcheson's majority was known, Mr Jellicoe addressed the crowd, thanking those who had - supported him, and stating that probably no candidate for parliamentary honours had ever had to contend with such a combination as had been brought to bear against him. Mr Hutcheson, in returning thanks, said the electors had knocked the shackles off his wrists, and he would go back to the House a free man. The people that day, by their votes, had proclaimed that they, and not Ministers, were masters, and his victory would be sounded throughout the colony. The official result was declared as follows: — Mr John Hutcheson ... 6945 Mr E. G. Jellicoe 4771 Majority for Mr Hutclieson, 2174. At the general election in 1896 the polling was as follows: — J. Hutcheson 6411, Sir R. Stout 6306, G. Fisher 5859, A. R, Atkinson 5831, C. Wilson 5570, A. A. S. Menteath 5560, <F. H. Fraser 1811, J. J. jK. Powell 185, A. Warburton 91. The I total number who voted on that occasion [ was 13,168. At the by-election on March 9, 1898,-> caused by tho resignation of Sir Robert Stout, the polling was as follows : — John ! Duthie 7283, R. C. Kirk 6254 : total voters, 13,537.