DECLARATION OF POLLS.

Auckland Star, Volume IV, Issue 1206, 5 December 1873, Page 2

DECLARATION OF POLLS.

PARNELL,

The official declaration of the poll taken at Parnell on the 29th November was made at noun to-day at the Public Hall by Colonel Balneavis, Returning Officer. There were very few persons present. The numbers were deciared as follows :— Tonka, .• 22(5. R. Wood, 224. C. Wood, 122. He (the Returning Officer) therefore declared Mr Benjamin Tonka and Mr Reader Wood duly elected. Mr Tonka briefly thanked the electors for the proud position in Avhich they had placed him, and assured them that he would do all he could to promote their interests and that of the province generally. Mr Reader Wood thanked the electors, and said it would have been unnecessary for him to add one word more except that he observed from reading the Southern Cross that Mr Bojdan had done him the honor to comment on a speech made by him at a meeting. This he did not object to, but he did object to having words put into bis mouth which he had never made use of. He had never said Auckland Avas "a wretched place." He had only used one of those words, and that in reference to proA'incial institutions, and not referring to Auckland as a city or a province. He had said he did not see why a wretched povertystricken concern like the Provincial Government of Auckland should be surrounded with an Executive and officers like great States and Colonies. He had never spoken of Auckland itself as a Avretched little place. A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, moved by Mr Tonka, and seconded by Mr 11. Wood, terminated the proceedinga.