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Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8366, 30 September 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

DECLARATION OF THE POLL. The election of three Councilors to fill the places of Irs Everett, Haddow and Piper, who retired owing to the expiration of their term of office, took place on Sept 12, and exoited some little excitement, as, in addition to the retiring Councilors, Messrs J. A. Harley and J. Byde had been nominated, through, as it afterwards transpired, the number who recorded their votes was not so large as it should Lave been. At eight o'clock the Counoil Chamber was densely packed by ratepayers and others anxious to learn the result of the voting. Mr A. A. Scaife. the Returning Officer, presided, and he declared that the voles recorded in favour of each candidates bavirg been : — J. A. Hatfey 415 E. Everett 406 J, Piper 390 J, Hyde 368 W. Haddow 356 Messrs J. A. Harley, E. Everett, and J. Piper were duly elected. (Cheers.) Mr J. A. Harley, addrersirg the Returning Officer and ratepayers, said he had to thaok them kindly for plaoing Lim once more in their Counoil. He left that body a year ago and bad not thought it likely be would again have become a candidate, but seeing that matters were Bomewhat disturbed in the Council, Borne of his friends pressed him, and he peluotantly consented to stand again. He assured them he felt that going back to the Council meant taking np re poteibilities and entering on disagreeab'e work euch as a man would keep out of if he sould. He did not waDt to take the place of old Councilors, but be thought Mr Everett living at a distance as he does would not care to continue in the office, and be undei stood that Mr Haddow waß not going to stand again. That gent'eman was induced, however, to corns forward, but as he, the speaker, had placed himself in the hands of his friends, he went to tbe poll, and now he thanki d all who took any interest in securing bis return, and he thanked those who voted for other candidates whom tbey considered equally qualified. A great difficulty of late in the Council had been in connection with gas making, and there had been eo many contradictions, and so many figures quoted (bat he did not think (anyone) could come to a deoisioo. Tbe question was sot settled, and one of the first things neoessary would be to get an expert to see^which of the conflicting parties was right. He did not propose to go into matters folly then. He did not think an election of that kind should rest on one question. There were the Waterworks, the general finance, the reserves, an other matters requiring great consideration, and be was certain tbat gentlemen who had been in the Council bad endeavored to do justice and right to them all. They had now replaced him in the Council. Hd had served them many years, and be might have been

-r- — -"-*" - ■ - roi>g at times, but tbe votes he gave bad on S ie whole besn advantageous, and his aim I ow would be in the came di>eotion. [Cheers.] „ Mr Everett eail In thanked the ratepayers cry very hear.ily in p'aoing him in tbe J on or able position they had done. He va'ued V ie honor mora beoause he had never can- \ aesed. Not one elector coald say he had c sbed bim for a vote, or to use his inflaenc . [either thoald it be so; canvassing wai as a egrading to a candidate as it was insulting « 3 thosa who had to give their votes. [Mr *• ladd iw : Hear, hear. Mr T. Harley : No.] g lanvassing led to misrepresentation, and , berefore he said it Bhould not ba allowed^ ' ?heir Government had done a gr^at deal for t hem in the way of regulating c ecinns, and to thought the Gov rament might go a little ] or ther and do away with tbe system of oan aseing. It would be better for all. He ' oosidered that tbey were in the hands of « he eleotorp, who should use their own judg- j aent and pleasure, voting for tbose tbey { bought would best fill thi position. He iad been in tho Counoil since its formation i icarly 21 years ago, and had served as Conn- < iior, aa Mayor, a 9 Chairman of the Charitable : Ud Board, and in otber oapaoities, and thiß ( lervioe had demanded a lot of time aud rouble. But Bince he bad lived amongst ihem— now some 40 years; he had been in ibe Board of Works before the existenoe of he Council — he had always taken hearty in;erest io anything affec ti g the welfare of Nelson, end should do so till the end of the jhapttr. [Applause.] He was not a chicken, saving exceedel three score years and ten. ;et be thought he had as muoh vitality left is many younger men. [Hear, hear.] If he felt otherwise, be should not have offered his services. They had eleoted him, and be should do bis level best, as be bad done io tbe past, for tbe welfare of the City and its people. [Cheers.] Mr Piper said he bad to thank the ratepayers who had placed him in the lowest position amongst those returned. He was very sorry that th-re had not been more interest taken in tbe e'ection ihan tbere had been. Beally, he was surprised fer it was one of the lowest polls for many years, and that was surprising, beoause he knew that amongst them some grea' interest was t ken His friend on tbe right (Mr Everett) talked of canvassing, but it did net appear to him that there was much difference between canvass-ng himself and having people to canvaeß for him. He, tbe speaker, had not hid paid canvassers like bis friends on the right and left (the previous speaker?) - [a voice : You're too mean] . He was sure that aocording to his inoome be gave away twice as much as tbe man who said that. He bad alwaya paid hia way. [A voice : Keep to the que^tion.J " Shut your mouth." He never lived on what were the rights of wive 3 a».d cbildren He bad to thank them for placing him in that honorable position, though it would have been more to his interest to have retired. He knew that what he had been fighting was on principle. That ci y had been robbed for many years io the tune of a thousand a year. [Cries of No ! Question.] They had had ooal that no other works would have, and it had caused a loss to the ratepayers of that sum every year. Ha knew he had bad t > fight a very powerful combinatijn. He knew he bad had threats that be Bhou'd not into the Counoil again, but he was there, and he meant to Co his duty. His friend on the left (Mr J. Harley) had written about the &as — he might know something of beer and hops, but he knew nothing of gas works. A voioe ; What do you know.] Never mind. H;s friend said the Gasworks weri provided to make light, but ho said it was to make good and cheap gas How could they sell gis ia London at 2s 6d a thousand feet — why, because they made pood residuals, that was how they did it, and anyone who ta'ked about gasworks being only to make light had better get shale at once, a_d get 49 candle power gas, but tbey would have to 'pay about 20s a thousand feet for it, and how would they like that. He had done his duty in the past, and did he tbink that tbe verdict of the ratepayers was that they should go on as in the past, he would res'gn his seat on tbe morrow. He was pretty wtll tired, but thought he would fight for principle. He had no axe to griod, or any other persons axe to grind. He had done nothing he was ashamed of. He was tired of the bickerings and strife just for the private interests of a few wealthy men. There were many difficulties sticking out 'lhere waß a declining revenue and increasing expenditure. He had tried to keep down the expenses, but had rot been abls because they had men who would not look into the finances as they aught. He knew as a faot that unless expenses were kept down where they wou d be landed. They would bave a collapse. He I bad said enough, perhaps too much. [Go on.J Some hated him like poison. [Mr T. Harley: Who? I like you.] You jus; stop (to Mr T. Harley). He had endeavored to work in the pablio interests, and should do so in the fu.ure. He thanked thoee wbo had voted for him. He knew tbat one man bad oome all the way from Taranaki to vote against him. Mr J. Hyde, who was met with a cry of " Come on Nordenfeldt," said that he entered that little contest at the solicitation of a few friends, who thought ha might be of some service to tbe cry. He would ba glad to be of service, and had he been eleoted be would have done all in bis power. [A voice : You haven't had a proper hiding yet— laughter.] It would have been his care to keep up the reputation of Nelson. He thought the con est that day had been fought very fairly, and he did not feel annoyed or hurt by any action of either of the other candidates. [A voioe : That's the proper spirit ; and hear, hear.] He thanked all who took an interest in the matter, and he thanked tbose who had shown they thought ha would have been able to serve tbem. Although be was not eleo-ed, be would sti 1 have the same feeling, and the same desire to act for the good of the city, and he hoped tbat the gentlemen who had been elected would have the same feeling, and do their best for tbe ci'y and tbe ratepayers. (Cheers). Mr W. Haddow thanked those who had voted fur him on tbat oooasion, for tbey had done so unsolicited. Be had intends j to letire at the end Of hia three yeara termtbat was bis intention when he went in. He never yet asked a Bingle individual for a vote, or anyone to canvass for him. At the request cf people of aU classes, however, be said he would stand. He had to thank those who voted for him, and tbose who did not for having relieved bim of reßponsibi itieß. He also wished to thank the members cf the Counoil and tha Mayor for the courtesy they had alwayß shown him. He bad endeavored to do bis duty without fear or favor, and be oould tell the ratepayers that they did not know tbe trouble bo me Councilors bad in dealing with and combatting selfishness. He r sumed bis seat Bmidßt applause Mr J. Harley moved a vole of thanks to the Beturning Offioer, and Air Everett seoonded tbe motion, whioh was oarried by acclamation. Mr Scaife then deolared the meeting olosed, and Mr T. Harley, wbo had endeavored to address those aesemb'ed, was left witb some good-tempered listeners.