THE BLUFF HARBOUR BOARD.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13456, 30 April 1914, Page 4

THE BLUFF HARBOUR BOARD.

SIR JOSEPH WARD RETURNED.

"A POLITICAL CONTEST."

(Special to "The Colonist.")

; Queonstown, April 29. lHe election of a member to represent the Lake County on tho Bluff Harbour Board to-day created unusual interest throughout the district. The matter was made a political contest by wr *merß« who ? ut "P Ml> Reid, a leading farmer, against Sir Joseph Ward, who has represented the district on the board ior eighteen years They MV? t£T/ VOI*? g Up the election for Mr Reid for twelve months, and to-day

The district is a part of the electorate represented in Parliament by the Hon W. Fraser, Minister for Public Works' £he polling resulted: Sir Joseph Ward 30p; Mr Reid, 219, The result was re' ceivcd with rnucli enthusiasm in Queonßtown where Sir Joseph polled 147 to Mr Reid's' 39. After the poll was declared Sir Joseph addressed a large crowd of residents, and said that the result was very gratifying, for the election had been canned out on a restricted franchise. His opponent was an old local resident, while he had not been in the district for eight years, and his absence had boon used for stM it was worth. He had had no opportunity of meeting nny of tho electors until the last few days, and the whole efforts of his political opponents had been used to defeat him, with tho acknowledged object of creating an unfavourable impression against him throughout the Dominion.

Ho continued, had he beon defeated it would not have surprised .him. A restricted franchise; his eight yeans' ul*cnce from the district; his inability to go over the district; and the extraordinary efforts- made by his opponents to return his opponent; and the activity shown, which he was assured by old residents, was greater than at any previous general election, showed the importance his politici'.l opponents attached to the result. He thanked the electors for their renewal of confidence, which any man in his position had reason to be extremely proud of. He had the good fortune, though having contested more local and political contests than any other public man in the Dominion, never to have been defeated, and he assured them that he highly appreciated the honour they had done him. He had formerly represented tho Bluff on the Harbour Board, and had altogether been thirty years a continuous member of the board. He concludjed .by saying;. that he Svould continwe to .do?his best to promote ihe general welfare of the port jarid the ; district. j An exciting and. memorable contest I was concluded with hearty cheers for Sir Joseph and Lady Ward.