THE MATAURA ELECTION.

Southland Times, Issue 3301, 18 January 1879, Page 2

THE MATAURA ELECTION.

,;. =-$-- DECLARATION OF, THE POLL. The formal declaration of the result of the poUing in the Mataura election was made yesterday, at noon, by the Returning Officer, Mr Henderson, from the steps at the principal entrance of the Government Buildings. There was a large attendance of the public. The numbers were : precisely Jthe same as those already. published, giving a total o f 309 to Mr Shanks, and 250 to Mr Kinross, or a majority for the former of '59. The Returning Officer having declared Mr Shanks duly elected, said that in accordance with custom the result would be affixed to the hustings at Waihopai that day. :•.-, He had thought proper to make the declaration at Invercargill, for the^ convenience of electors, and in order to save them having to go to Gladstone. Mr Shanks said he had to very sincerely thank those who had voted for hitn. Soihething had to be said in favor of both parties, for their neighbors had thoroughly stuck to each of them. It was unnecessary that he should detain them longer, and he had only to again thank them, and to express the hope that when he. came to lay down his honors they would be pleased. (Applause.) Mr Kinross said he held a somewhat different view to that expressed by the last speaker in his concluding remarks. Elections were matters of veiy great importance to the community, and whilst public interest was excited in that one it was a very proper time to review the past, and lay down some course for the future. He had to express his thanks, not only to the electors, but more especially to his committee. They worked most energetically on the polling day, and without their support he would not have had such a large number of votes. They had heard Mr Shanks express an opinion as to the local aspectof the election, and while it was no doubt true that in the country districts it was viewed in that light, yet in the suburbs of Invercargill ifc was regarded from an entirely different stand, point. He was happy to say that through the exertions of the class to which he belonged the Grey party had achieved a very great success in the suburban municipalities. He was a defeated candidate, but at the samte time he. did nofc feel like one, for he was proud of the position in which he' stood in. those portions of the constituency where the contest was really a political one. He meant to renew the contest on a future occasion, and he hoped that w r hen the general election took place the result would be somewhat different, because they must admit that if their party had been properly organised, if it had not been for some matters that really deserved consideration, the result might have been different. He had been informed that a very large number of electors in the suburbs, who were duly qualified to be on the register, were rejected for a very slightinformality. These electors held a very strong opinion on the subject, believing that they were unjustly deprived of the privilege of voting, and ifc would be his duty to request the Government to make an enquiry into the matter. AA^ith regard to the remarks that had been made as to the way in which he had come before the electors, he had to state that when the vacancy in the representation of the constituency was first mooted he consulted Mr Dalrymple and others connected wifch the Grey party, and he then waited on Mr Feldwick and Mr Joyce. He had a short advertisement drawn up announcing himself as a candidate, and he requested Mr Joyce and Mr Feldwick to ascertain the. feelings of the party, and if the party wished him to come forward to be so good as to insert the advertisement. He left the matter entirely in their hands, and they could thereby see that he did not wish to force himself on the constituency. Ifc would have been much more manly oh the part of those gentlemen if they had said to him then, " AYe arc going to support Mr Shanks, go and take advice from somebody else." From what had transpired since he believed that they had then determined to support Mr Shanks, and it was his impression that the opposite side was informed of the action he had taken, and he was sorry to find that such a breach of faith had taken place. He had always acted straightforwardly himself, and he regretted very much that any members of the party should have lowered themselves in his esteem by the action they had taken in this matter. Hitherto they had been chiefs of the party, but he questioned if they would remain chiefs of tbe party long, or be able to head the people in the way they had done in the past, unless they could satisfactorily explain their conduct with regard to this contest. He understood it was the intention of Mr Feldwick to address the electors of InvercarI gill in the course of a few days, and he would then have an opportunity of contradicting or explaining these statements. He was happy to say, that although he was opposed. by two papers, and by those who had been leaders of the Grey party, the -rank and file were true to their colors, and they returned him by a swinging majority in the only part Of the constituency -where the contest took a political /aspect. Let the party to which" he: belonged see that [every name was on the register, and he had no doubt that when the contest was renewed, which would probably be in a short $.ime, the resultwould bevery different. He had no desire detain them longer than yras necessary,, but he must express the wish that all animosity could be buried. J It was his desire that it should be, but before he could: agree to do so he must certainly have some apology: made, and at least an explanation given. He had been told that frequently -on the day of tho Jelectic-n JMIr Shanks -made a- remark that iq his opinion was a -very gross insult. Those who: were Vinstrumcntal; in giving him his education led him Jto. '., believe that no ; j more gross insult could be offered to .a gentleman than to call him a. liarV He was told that Mr Shanks had frequently asserted that J both he and 'his committee wei-eJUara. If :Mr Sltoiik^ was willing to withdraw Vhis assertion j and .apologise, he shohldlet the past-bejpast,:and if he^did not do so he could not regard him J as a gentleman, and would -not be Jwilling: tolet ail ill-feeling pass. He had been charged, with endeavoring to set .class against class. : There was nothing iurther from hhs desiie»;j

He considered it was. a very great blessing to a place where a number of wealthy gentlemen resided in it, taking an active part in the management of . its institution.*;, and spending their money in it. He had no desire to injure that class, he only wished to lift the class to which he belonged — that class which sought to improve its position by manual labor. It had supported him, and he would do nothing which would injuriously . affect its interests. He denied the accusation therefore that he was setting class against class. He would be happy to co-operate with all classes at all times for the -good of- the community, biifc at the same time, he would" endeavor to prevent any one ,clas3 from monopolising all rights and ': privileges. Ho only asked fair play for his own class, and he had no desire to injure any other class whatever. He concluded by again thanking those who had voted for 'him, and added that every one who had voted against him from . conscientious motives woiildTetain his esteem. Mr Shanks said I— think my explanation is veiy simple/ and I certainly give Mr; Kinross credit foi\ having sufficient good sense to see it. - Mr Kinross: stated distinctly that I was not brought forward In the interest of the Grey party, and that. was what I alluded to. AVhen I was told that I was .sailing under falseV colors ; I had a right to: repudiate it. (Applause.) Mr. Kinross said— -You have heard the explanation. I leave it to you to say it it is sufficient. Supposing I had charged Mr Shanks with making use of such an expression as he has charged me . with using, I would have said he had made an incorrect; statement, but I would not have used the word "liar." J T; say a man who would use such language is not fit to go to the General Assembly. ; I say that a man who uses such language is a disgraceto the constituency. I can ouly say I am very sorry such language has been used! for he has admitted he used ifc. (Applause.) Vv " WJW' V' Mr Shanks proposed a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer ..-(Mr A. C. JHendei-son), who had held the candle very fairly between then?, man and man. (Applause.) W. At this juncture of the proceedings some one amongst thespectators persisted in interrogating Mr Shanks as to the matter in dispute between him and Mr Kinross. The former intimated that he declined to say anything further, but the irate elector, with more persistency than discretion, continued to demand a further explanation, and addressing the spectators, he exclaimed, 'fAVhy. won't he standand meet me as an elector. I can show you a facsimile of him." The facsimile consisted of an ingenious arrangement of J portions of a clay pipe and a potato. After the laughter to which this amusing incident gave rise had subsided the spectators dispersed. . ..".....■ „.-.• .J.-.-. : V ;.:■...,