THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1672, 26 September 1887, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

To-night will witnesß the close of the electioneering of which we have been Burfeited, and will disclose th- result oi! a contest— prolonged almost beyond the limits of human forbearance For the last two months the all-absorbing topic has been politics, and everywhere that two or three were gathered together the invariable theme of conversation was politics. One could not proceed along the street without being buttonholed at every street corner, and being compelled to b -bmit to the ordeal of listening to a long dissertation on th© respective merits of Freetrade, Protection, Retrenchment, or whatever subject was engrossing the mind of the amateur politician, the pleasantness of the situation not being increased by the fact tbat day after day the self-same argumenta, oouched m the very same words, were dinned into one's ears, and had consequently become somewhat flat because of reiteration. As the Hon. Mr Rolleston said m his speech the other night, everybody will be glad that the r dreary drip of declamation" has oome to a close. One thing that has characterised the election so far has been an almost tot?! absence of bifrerneps, and thia muut be considered a very good sign, for it is not often the safne keenness is displayed by the partizans of rival candidates. On Saturday night both candidates delivered tbeir last speeohes prior to the election, Mr Purnell m the Oddfellows' Hall and Mr Walker m the Arcade, There were about 100 persons present at Mr Purnell's meeting, and Mr John Orr occupied the chair At the conclusion of his address a vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Mr Purnell. There was a large attendance at Mr Walker's meeting, Mr I Sargent occupying the chair. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed, with the accompaniment "For he's a jolly good fellow " A vote of confidence ih the Government was also carried. Both meetings were very enthusiastic, but as the election will have been practically decided ers we go to press, no good object would be served by publishing full reports of the proceedings. This morning broke olondy nnd lower* ing, and the day turned out to be moat unp.easant and bleak. A cold light rain commenced at an early hoar and beoame heavier as the day advanced. In Bplie of the elements being thua unpropltloua, there was not much damping of the interest tak<_n m the election and from the opening of the Cjurlhouaea knot of person, gathered, on the footpath and remained there throughout the day. Voters came m thiokly, quite 350 votes having been recorded by two o'olook and vehicles plying m the respective interests of the rival candidates brought to tha poll every elector living at any distance away, who oould be caught. Very little business seemed to be doing m town and 1 ware it not for the faot of the shops being open and the crowd m the vioinity of the Courthouse, m whioh direction everybody's footsteps seemed to tend, it would seem that a holiday wbb being observed. Tents were ereoted ln the Courthouse grounds ln which tbe Secretaries of the respective Committees were enso . noed and where they gave to eioh voter as he came m his number on the roll, Much "chaff" waa interchanced between the partfzins of the candidates bnt every thing was most good humored. ' The result of che polling at Ashbarton will be known shortly after six bat the returns from tbe outlying distriots will not be to haud for aome houra after that. It is exp.cted that they will be all m by 10 or 11 o'olook. It Is expected m some quarters that there wil be " fun " this evening In the Bhape of flour-throwing. We understand, however, that the police int cad keeping a sharp look-out fcr any attempt at larrrikiniam, and offenders will receive bat smnJ- mercy at their hands.