The Wellingtion Independent Friday, December 14, 1860. TUESDAY'S ELECTION.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1479, 14 December 1860, Page 2

The Wellingtion Independent Friday, December 14, 1860. TUESDAY'S ELECTION.

While we have every reason to rejoice at the result of Tuesday's polling, we certainly do not intend to crow over it. We are satisfied with having gained the victory, and have no desire to add anything to the feeling of utter defeat which the Wakefieldites experience. To our own readers the return of Messrs Featherston, Rhodes, and Taylor will not excite surprise. From the moment the members came back from Auckland success was anticipated ; and as day after day passed away, anticipation gradually made Avay for certainty — the certainty of a respectable majority giving place to the assurance of an overwhelming one, so soon as Messrs Hunter and Stokes announced an intention of endorsing their condemnation of the Stafford war-policy by their votes. On what grounds the Wakefield-Bowler-Park party could have so confidently counted on success we cannot imagine. The pitiable exhibition which its leader made at the "Explanation" meeting at the Odd Fellows Hall, and the vote of confidence passed there in the late members favour, ought to have shown them that their footing was insecure, and the loss of old and influential friends could not but tend to make it more so. Very much of this confidence was assumed. None of their influential supporters ever supposed that Mr. Wakefield would have been returned ; but we know that it was the conviction of many of Mr. Bowler's personal friends that he would have headed the poll. The friends of Mr. Park also felt equally convinced that Mr. Park would attain that position. Mr. Bowler depended on his money influence : this served him well when he so nearly obtained his election in 1858, and it did him a good turn now, for had it not been for this he would have tailed every other candidate. When we speak of money influence, we do not mean the actual expenditure of hard cash ; but the use of the influences which a commercial firm has in its power to bring to bear on those individuals whose ledger accounts, in tjmes of depression like these, are a little out of balance. The very active canvass which Mr. Bowler personally made among this class of voters, has alone prevented him from being at the bottom of ihe poll. It was this influence that told- so powerfully for Mr. Bowler in 1858, but it was then far greater than it is now. Mr. Park reckoned on the votes of Scotchmen and the Militia. The Scotch were clannish it was thought, and would vote for Mr. Park although

they would vote for neither of his friends, and the Militia "to a man " would do the same. The number of supporters which Dr. Featherston had in both these classes, convinced us how fallacious were the hopes on which Mr. Park allowed himself to build. This being the first contested election for the City under the Act of 1858, it .is only just to those who have had the conduct of it, to say that the arrangej ments were satisfactory and that no difficulty was experienced in the polling. Although the knowledge of those who had voted enabled the various Committees to form an estimate of what the state of the poll was, yet it was not till half-past four that the returns of the check clerks from each end gave the following particulars ; —

The Returning officer's list subsequently showed a more favourable majority, but, as it is to be scrutinized today, we await the declaration to-morrow so as to publish it correctly. The majority will, however, be slightly larger than that above shown. As conducing to this majority, we should be sadly wanting were we to omit distinctly to acknowledge the obligations which the successful candidates are under to the Hunter- Stokes party. Whatever differences there may be in merely provincial politics, they have rendered good service to the province and the colony by their conduct on this occasion ; and, as the example has thus been set, we sincerely hope that it will be followed by Dr. Featherston and his friends using all legitimate exertion to meet them, in a conciliatory spirit, on the vexed questions that have disturbed this province for several years past.

Thorndon. Te Aro. Total. Featherston 153 152 305 Taylor 149 153 302 Ehodes 146 155 301 Bowler 113 110 223 Wakefield 113 93 206 Park 106 97 203