To His Excellency Kobert Henry Wynyard, Esquire, Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand, &c., &c.

The Petition of the undersigned Electors, being not less than one-twen-tieth of the whole of registered Electors of the Waimea District, in the Province of Nelson, in the Colony of New Zealand, Sheweth, — That, in pursuance of a Writ under your Excellency's hand, bearing date the twenty-seventh day of May, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, directed to John Poynter, Esquire, Returning Officer for the Waimea District, requiring and commanding him " to cause to be elected bv and from amongst the Voters duly qualified for that purpose, freely and indifferently, and in manner prescribed by law, one person, to serve as a Member of the House of Representatives for the aforesaid Waimea District'' —Tuesday, the twentieth day of June, One thousand Eight hundred ind fifty-four, at noon, at Richmond, Waimea East, was appointed by the Returning Officer for the nomination of one Member for Waimea District. That, pursuant to such notice, on Tuesday, the twentieth day of June, at noon, at Richmond, Waimea East, Francis Jollie, Esquire, a legally qualified and registered elector of the District, as required by the forty-second clause of the Constitution Act, was duly nominated by Francis Otterson, Esquire, and Mr. William Harkness, two registered electors of the District, as a fit and proper person to represent the aforesaid Waimea District in the House of Representatives. That, at the same time and place, Mr. William Thomas Locke Travers, who is not a legally qualified aud registered elector of the Waimea District, as required (in the opinion of your petitioners) by the forty-second clause of the Constitution Act, was also nominated to represent the aforesaid District in the House of Representatives 'lhat a notice (of which a co y is enclosed) was then read by one of your petitioners to the Returning Officer and the Electors present, to the effect that Mr. William Thomas Locke Travers, not being a registered Elector of the District, was ineligible as a member for the District, and that, if the said William 1 homas Lucke Travers weie declared duly elected by the Returning Officer, the return would be petitioned against That the Returning Officer declared himself incompetent to decide the matter in d.spute, and that the Election must proceed, and be referred by Petition to your Excellency, as provided by law in the case of disputed returns. 1 hat, on a show of hands being called for, the Returning Officer declared the Election to have fallen on Francis Jollie, Esquire, there having been fourteen hands held up for the said Francis Jollie, Esquire, and three hands held up for Mr. William Thomas Locke Travers. That thereupon a Poll was demanded by Mr. William Thomas Locke Travers. That the Polling took place on Wednesday, the twenty-first day of June. That, on Thursday, the twenty-second day of June, the Returning Officer announced the state of the Poll —(one hundred and twenty-six votes having been given for Mr. William Thomas Locke Travers, and seventy-one votes for Francis Jollie, Esquire)—and declared Mr. William Thomas Locke Travers duly elected. That your Petitioners believe that the Election of Mr. William Thomas Locke Travers for the W aimea District is a void Election, inasmuch as the said William Thomas Locke Travers is not a legally qualified and registered Elector of the Waimea District, as required by the forty-second clause of the Constitution Act,