THE CITY ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 3157, 2 April 1873, Page 2

THE CITY ELECTION.

The polling for a member of the Provincial Council for the City, in the room of Mr E. B. Cargill, resigned, took place yesterday. There were three candidates —Messrs H. S. Fish, E. Prosser, and C. S. Reeves. From the first, the contest lay between Messrs Fish and Prosser. Previous elections in the City have to a great extent depended on the personal qualifications of the candidates : this time it was more of a party struggle. It may still, as it did during the contest, suit the purposes of the respective candidates and their friends, to deny that auy such feeling was imported ; but in truth the issue was not so much one of Fish or Beeves versus Prosser, as it was that of Macandrew versus Reid. Messrs Fish and Reeves were avowed supporters of the Superintendent’s present Executive; Mr Prosser held to the “independent” ticket, and would not pledge himself to vote either fur or against the Government. Then, in some quarters, the impression had gained ground—whether rightly or wrongly we do not pretend to say—that Mr Prosser was the nominee of Mr Reid’s party. That there was more in the election than a mere question of men is evident by two facts, which are beyond question. Known supporters of Mr Reid thought it necessary for them to travel from the Clutha, from Tokomairiro, and from other country districts, in order to exercise tbeir electoral privileges; men who would have supported Mr Reeves if he had had “ the ghost of a chance”—as a voter put it yesterd ay—found themselves compelled to vote for Mr Fish, though it must be admitted the latter is in a great measure indebted for his return to the zeal and earnestness displayed by the large following he invariably commands at elections. Not that Mr Prosser’s or Mr E,eeves’s committee did not wurk well for their respective candidates ; but that of the successful candidate appeared to be better organised. The election, fiercely contested as it was, was noticeable for the orderly manner in which it was conducted ; and the acting-Returning Officer and his assistants are entitled to credit for the promptness with which they made up the returns. The poll closed at 4 p.m., and at 5.10 p.m., at which time there were between 300 and 400 persons present, Mr Street was able to declare the numbers as follow :

The acting-returning officer intimated that the above figures merely indicated the state of the poll, the official declaration of which would be made at noon on 'I hursday, the ordinance requiring that forty-eight hours’ interval should take place between the polling day and the day of declaration. Mr Fish, who was received with “three times three,” said he then appeared before the electors not for the first, second, or even third time as a successful candidate, and he begged to return them his very sincere thanks for placing him at the head of the poll on that occasion. They were aware that in this contest he had labored under difficulties that he had not met with on any previous occasion. He thanked the electors heartily and sincerely for the manner in which they had supported him on this occasion, and he trusted that his conduct as their representative in the Provincial Council would justify the confidence they had reposed in him. (Hear.) He had to acknowledge his extreme gratefulness for the exertions made in his behalf by the chairman and members of his committee, who had worked so zealously for him. He confessed that when he started the contest he had no great hopes of winning ; but he found as the contest progressed that the number of his avowed opponents increased, and knowing as he did that he had the whole of the Reid faction against him, he felt almost persuaded to retire. In addition to the Reid faction he had had a number of persons working against him—not because he was not the fittest of the three candidates to represent them, but because, in his magisterial capacity, he had been compelled to iullict penalties: penalties which several persons richly deserved. (Uproar, and cries of “Right you are.”) He had seen persons employed on behalf of his opponents, who he was sure were actuated against him by feelings of revenge because he had striven to do his duty. One result of the election would be to show the Stout-Sievwright-Reid faction, who had attempted to rule this City, that the citizens of Dunedin at least were not with them. (Hear, hear, and cries of dissent. ) He trusted the electors would bear this in mind : that those two gentlemen——he meant Messrs Stout and Sievwright —and “ Master Humphrey to boot” were not the friends of the citizens. Mr Stout, in particular, had acted towards him in a most uugeutlemanly manner : in a manner which he (Mr Fish) thought no person occupying his public position should do. (Dissent; cheers; and cries of “ That’s right; give it to him: he deserves it.”) With regard to Mr Prosser himself, he (Mr Fish) was free to admit that he recognised in him a perfect gentleman—(Applause)—individually he had treated him (Mr Fish) with the greatest respect, and tomorrow—even then—he (Mr Fish) would have the greatest pleasure in taking him by the hand, and saying “Mr Prosser, I respect you as a gentleman.” (Applause.) With regard to his other opponent, although he was not friendly with him, he would say of him that he bad conducted the election fairly and impartially. He again thanked the electors for placing him at the bead of

the poll, and trusted that his conduct in the Council would justify the choice they had that day made. (Cheers). . Mr Prosser, who was also received with cheers, said, considering the very short time he had been before the electors, it was a proud position that he occupied—seeing the number of votes that had been recorded in his favor. From the commencement of the contest he had avoided, as far as possible, any personalities, and the only reason that he had once or twice touched upon them was because of the tactics adopted by his opponent. He had yet to learn that Mr Fish, or any other man in the community, had a right to dictate to the electors as to which side they should take. (Confusion, and a voice, “That’s what Stout did.”) He thought it was a right that every man ought to have to act as he thought proper ; and it was his good fortune, rather than otherwise, that he had reccved the support of Messrs Stout and Siev wright; at all events, he did not see anything to regret. (Applause.) They were aware that in elec• tion contests one was not able to select those who think proper to place themselves before the public ; but he could only say that he did not regret any single instance of what his friends had done in connection with this contest. He believed they had conducted the election fairly and honorably, and, as Mr Fish had already said, he himself had endeavored to do so. He had nothing to complain of with regard to Mr Fish, except what he bad spoken about. He had much pleasure in returning his sincere thanks to his committee and those who voted for him, for their support, and he trusted on the next occasion to head the poll. (Cheers.) Mr Reeves said it was not the first time he appeared before the electors as a defeated candidate—(A Voice : “ Courage, laddie, and we’ll land you at the top of the poll next time.”)—but he hoped the day would come, and be not far distant, when he would appear before them as a successful one. (Hear.) He stood in this position : he had lost the election through principle. (Applause.) Mr Fish, whom they had returned, and he both advocated the progressive measures initiated fcy the General Government; and they had elected Mr Fish because they considered he had a better chance of getting those measures carried out than he (Mr Reeves) had. He had no doubt that had he alone been pitted against Mr Prosser, he would have been elected; and he felt that he had been between two stools as it were—(laughter)—and so had fallen to the ground. He had been assured by those gentlemen who had worked heart and soul for Mr Fish that, if he again came forward to represent the City, he would have their earnest support. (Hear.) Although defeated, he was not disheartened; and he was determined to persevere until he succeeded. If he had gone in, it would have been on principle, and not as the member of any party. The gentleman returned was one whose policy as declared was one of progress, and no doubt he would give satisfaction. Ho was happy to compliment all the gentlemen who had taken part in the election on the orderly manner in which it had been conducted. He would not waste further time by speaking, but would sincerely tender his sincere thanks to the ISS electors who had voted for him, and also to the committee who had so energetically worked for him. In conclusion he had only to say that he was confident some time of being elected, and hoped that on the next occasion the electors would liberally support him. He then proposed a vote of thanks to Mr W. P. Street, the returning officer, which was received with cheers.

Mr Street acknowledged the vote, and the proceedings terminated.

Fish 612 Prosser ■ 534 Peeves - Majority—78. 155 The numbers polled at the different booths were ; — North. Dunedin. Duned.n. Totals. H. S. Fish, jim. 528 84 612 Evan Prosser . 440 85 534 C. S. Peeves - 136 19 155 Totals - • 1,301 Voters on the roll - 3,208