MAYORAL ELECTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1724, 1 December 1887, Page 2

MAYORAL ELECTION.

The annual election for Mayor took place yesterday. The candidates nominated were nfessrs T. Sealy (oooupant of the Mayoral chair during the year just expiring), and A. Harrison. These gentlemen, it will ba remenibered, contested the same election last year, when the former gained a majority of one. Opinions regarding the issue of the contest just deoided were about equally divided during the last few days, and the partizace of each of the candidates worked their very hardest to soore a win for their particular aide. A great deal of interest waa taken in the contest, as is evinced by the large cumber of votes polled. At a quarter to seven, the Beturning Officer, Mr C. Braddell, announced the result as follows : — Alfred Harrison .. „ 105 Thomaß Sealj . . „ „ 103 Informal .. *. „ 2 Majority for Harrison .. 2 He declared Mr Harrison duly elected as Mayor for the ensuing year. The announcement of the result was received with oheera, and hearty oheers were given for eaoh of the candidates. Mr Harrison said that he had to Bincerely thank the burgesses for the very high honor which they had bestowed on him. He would not detain them by saying very mnoh, but he wished to assure them that whatever differences there might have be»n in the past between any of the Councillors and himself he would spare no effort to bury. Thore bad been differences of opinion in the past, and some of his colleagues had seemed to think that his aotion was directed on personal grounds, but this was not bo, and all his aotionß had been controlled by that which he deemed to be right. He would continue to work economically and conserve the funds of the Borough, so that they might live within their means. There were many works that required to be gene on with; he trusted that those of the most importance wonld be the first selected, and that his term of offioe would be a success. He had to thank them for the way in whiob they had supported him, and he especially desired to thank his Committee, whioh had worked hard to secure his return. He also wished to thank the ladies, whose assistance had been most freely accorded on his trtalf. He trusted Mr Sealy would not take hie defeat unkindly ; he had had the offioe once, end he (Mr Harrison) would be satisfied with that, as he held that the position of Mayor was one that should not be held by the same person for more than one year. He again expressed his thanks to the burgesses for the honor they had done him, Mr Sealy said that he had to thank those who bad voted for him for the kind way in which they had aoted by placing him bo olose to the head of the poll. This was the first ocoasion he bad been defeated in any eleotion he had yet contested, and that being so, he could afford to acoept such a Bmall defeat, especially as his opponent had been defeated on four previous oooasions. It was not a beating to be ashamed of, particularly when it waß remembered that tho other eide had been working for twelve months. (Laughter.) Mr Sealy maintained that his statement was quite oorreot, and that a number of oleotors bad pledged their votes to his opponent S, 6, 9, and even twelve months ago. It waa no discredit to him, whose supporters had only been working during the last fortnight, to be defeated by Buoh a email majority. He might eay that his opponents had been working for several yearr past, and yet they- had only gained a majority -of two. (Mr Dimant : Quite enough, Mr Sealy.) Mr Sealy admitted that they were quite enough to decide the eleotion, but he took no discredit to himself for having been defeated under suoh circumstances. From the principle on whioh the eleotion had been conduoted, the successful oandidate could not take much credit. If he (Mr Sealy) could not contest the eleotion without soliciting votes, aa a matter of sympathy and pity, he would not do so at all. He asserted that what he had said was oorreot, because voters had told him frequently that they were giving his opponent their support, not beoause they thought him the better man, but beoause he had been defeated so often. He had to heartily thank those who voted for him, and also his Committee for the assistance it had given him. He propoied a vote of thanks to the Beturning Offioer. Mr Harrison seconded. Mr Dimant asked permission to Bay a few words. When the eleotion was oommenced fee us Chairman of Mr Harriet's Commit* tee, had asked that it be oondusted free from personalities, and that request waa aoceded to without hesitation by a prominent member of Mr Sealy's Committee. Mr Sealy had made much capital out of a Btatement that burgesses had pledged their votes to Mr Harrison twelve months ago. Well, all the more oredif to those burgesses for sticking to their promises. At the publio meeting on Monday night Mr Sealy Btated that he was certain the good sense of the burgeßses would prompt them to elect the bettor man. The sequel showed that the burgesses had taken the " tip " inadvertently given them by Mr Sealy. (Laughter and applause). Mr Sealy had stated the principle on whioh the other Bide had oonduoted the eleotion was. not a creditable one, but they had not wired sixty miles for votes. With regard to Mr Sealy's remark about the majority of two, he might remind him that he (Mr Sealy) only had a majority of one last year. He had hoped Mr Sealy would have rested satisfied with the verdict without indulging in personalities, and it was only because he had dono so that he (Mr Dimant) waß compelled to speak. He conoluded by stating that Mr Harrison would give equal attention to the interests of the minority as to those of the majority that elected him. Tho proceedings then terminated, Auojcland, November 30. W. Morgan was elected Mayor of NewMarket to-day, and Dr W. B. Erson Mayor of Onehunga. Patea. December 1. Mr R. A. Adams has been (elected Mayor for the sixth time in Bucoeesion. Marton. Deoember 1. Mr Snellgrove has been elected Mayor. Wellington, November 30. The Mayoral eleotion resulted in the re- , election of Mr S. Brown by a majority of 340. Nelson, November 30. ', Mr John Sharp was elooted Mayor of Nelson, polling 287, John Graham 263. f ! Hokitika. November 30 The following are results of Mayoral elections in this 'district : — ' ' Hokitika — Holmeß, 231; Michel (late ' Mayor), 172. I Kumara— Burgar (late Mayor), 43 ; Camp- ' bell, 40 ; Dungan, 33 ; Olden, 12. ' < Boss— Currie, 72 ; Hirter, 35 ; Langley. 26. < Greymouth — At the Mayoral eleotion, } Josesh Petrie, the present Mayor, polled 208 j and Joseph Kilgour, a former Mayor, 140 ; majority for Petrie, 68. CmusTOHtTRCH, November 30. The Mayoral eleotions resulted as follows : . Sydenham— W. -Langdown, 869; H. Ki * Bowden, 154. % • • "•• c •St Albans— E. Salter, ; W. J. Neate, 171. • ' ■■ I Lyttelton— S. E. Webb, 181; J. Milsom, t 150. ■ Dunbdin, November 30. C Mr H. Gourley was eleoted ' Mayor of ' St. <j Silda, Mr Sulljvan South Dunedin, Mr Myers Sorth-Beaßt Valley. ' ' = 8i Inyeroabgill, November $0. Q A. Tapuer was re-elected Mayor of Jnver* largill by" $00 to 196 for bis opponent, A. f * ' ' " " I'Buchc-Paiba.'V- Quiok, complete cure, alj innoying kidney, bladder, and urinary ieeaßes, At obtmists and druggists. Kemp.- re bowt, Press* lltf No.,} Agents, Christ, ei