THE WELLINGTON ELECTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6124, 10 March 1898, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON ELECTION.

RETURN OF MR DUTHIE. [Per Prbsß Association.! WELLINGTON, Mabch 9. The election passed off very quietly ; in fact, it was the most sedate election held in Wellington. This was partly owing to the extra number of polling booths preventing undue crushing, and ipartly to the instructions given to the reftsrning-officers and the police to allow no interference with voters. There were sixteen booths, and Mr Duthie had a majority at twelve of them, the final corrected result being— Duthie 7283, Kirk 6254; majority, 1029. When the result was made known; Mr Duthie very briefly returned thanks. Mr Kirk, speaking later on, said that he had abstained from personalities and fought as good a fight as he could. He did not believe that the Labour Party had split their vote. The Premier also spoke from a carriage in Lambton Quay. He said that he hoped that next election would reverse the decision. The best man would have been Mr Kirk. A great many who now said that they were supporters of Mr Duthie would not have dared say so last night. There had been an undercurrent for the last four or five days, but, notwithstanding the pressure brought to bear against them, they had fought a good fight, and the result showed that there were over six thousand people who still believed in progress and enlightenment and the prosperity of the town.