THE WAKATIP ELECTION.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 121, 5 March 1872, Page 5

THE WAKATIP ELECTION.

(From.fi Ofu'i'Pip-nulenf.) Mr Maccassey's mooting hero was grave, dull, and decorous on the whole ; yet one or two little incidents relieved its monotony. 'The first was the difficulty in obtaining a : cnairman. This was very rude. Why did i not some gentleman volunteer i It was quite . a aelief when Mr T. L Shepherd faced the 'audience from the rejected seat of honour. Another episode was a voice in the porch iu- ' sisting upon Jack and Dill coming out and ' having a drink ; and out they went and the r voice was heard no more. The next event f was that some wag standing in the porch locked the only door of egress, put the key in his pocket, and went home with it. The " trick was not discovered until a well-known ; citizen desired to go our. Our townsman, - who is of a rather wrathful disposition, found j the door of course locked, and demanded in- . dignantly what it meant, looking for the explanation to our three local " Blues," who were at the moment deeply engaged in solvs ing or attempting to comprehend some profound axiom the candidate was expounding. . The Blues looked at exasperated citizen with surprise. That was enough. "If you don't unlock that door at once, \ will put my foot through it," said the doughty citizen. Blue - No. I politely went to open the door, and found he could not; Blue Xo. 2 tried if he could succeed, hut failed ; Blue No. o was no more successful. They looked at each other with expressions of surprise. No. 2 remarhed, with a shake of his head, "And - to think the whole three of us were here !" The result was that a portion of the lock had to be unscrewed with a knife. The other feature of novel interest was the close of the ■ meeting. Chairman and candidate looked at the meeting, hut the "badger"'could not () be drawn. Twice did the chairman appeal . j for a, motion of the usual nature on such oc- ' casions. There wis no response. Both the '" gentlemen were getting tidgetty, and preparing to leave, when a graft" voice shouted out, e " Propose vote of thanks.'" " Who is the move" ?" asked the chairman. " Wakatip beer," was the reply : the proposer bemg Mr Davis, of Messrs Surman and Davis. The motion was hastily put, and declared car- ' ried. The meeting, as a body, did not vote. p I The candidate said he was quite satisfied with |] such a vote, as the ballot-box was the true j , test of the opinions of the electors ; and he . thought his supporters had acted wisely in not declaring themselves. The meeting was s a large and influential one, and it contained : representatives from all parts of the district. i- Since then, Mr Macassey, generally accomo {'anted by Mr ft. B. Barton, has addressed |_ ' meetings 'at Moke Creek, Skippers, Arthur's ,| Point, Frankton, Ac. He hns had good i meetings, but his reception has been chilly, and difficulty has been experienced in obtaining even a vote of thanks. Nevertheless the vote;of one class —the supporters of denomin national education—will lie almost unanij. mously given in his favour: but the party, ,j. acting probahiy under orders, are exercising a wise forbearance, and are endeavouring to split the other portion of the electoral ranks. 0 The public are, however, wide awake to the o , importance of the Education and Land ques- ; tions. , ; As to Mr Miller's movements, meetings, , &c, everyone seems to be in the dark. Mr * ! Macassey at Frankton, hinted at his probable n i retirement. Another can-'Sidate, in the per- !■ son of Mr Alfred Smith, Upper Shot."." -■■;, is I mention likely to $^ a forward.