THE SUPERINTENDENTAL ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 3223, 19 June 1873, Page 2

THE SUPERINTENDENTAL ELECTION.

The result of the election for Superintendent, which took place yesterday, will not surprise. anyone who has watched the signs of the times. Although, there are a few returns not yet received, they cannot materially alter the relative positions of the candidates. ' It may, therefore, be fairly concluded that Mr Macandrew has been returned by what paust be considered an overwhelming majority. The election that has taken place is the more remarkable, because bo other effort has been made by the Superintendent than an appeal to the reason of the electors of the Province, whilst Mr Gillies has strained every nerve to ensure his ownretum. He personally visited the principal towns in the Province, and addressed crowded public meetings. We do not know whether he and bis friends have been deceived, or have deceived themselves ; but it is certain that the telegraphic accounts received by us of those meetings were not only highly but falsely colored, and calculated to lead to the belief that Mr Gillies was better received than the numbers recorded at the polling booths justifies. It seems probable that Mr Gillies and his friends were easily satisfied. In Dunedin there was intense excitement throughout the day ; business was almost at a standstill, and little coteries were gathered together in every street discussing the probabilities of the election. The ballot-box has put an end to those party demonstrations which used to enliven election proceedings, but the opportunity was not allowed to pass without a display of zeal on the part of Mr Macandrew’s friends. A band of music paraded the streets for some hours, and with joyous strains proclaimed the certainty they entertained of victory. The different journals throughout the Province were kept advised by telegraph of the returns as they came in, and, we believe, yvith the single exception of our contemporary the Daily Times, published extras to satisfy the anxiety felt to know the result. In many of the earlier extras published by the Evening Star, the return for Oaversham was stated to be—Macandrew, 25; Gillies, 75. Believing this to be an error, we inquired more than once of the Returning Officer, who politely referred to the official return sent by bis deputy, which contained the numbers as stated. Late in the evening, we received a corrected return, which showed that the numbers had been accidentally reversed, and that the Caversham polling was as we now give it. At a few minutes past five o’clock, Mr Street, to the astonishment of everyone, appeared on the terrace of the Government Buildings, ready to announce the result of the polling. It did not take much time for a crowd to collect, as before he was finished, the number of persons present, which could not have been a hundred when he commenced to read, had increased to nearly a thousand. Mr Street intimated that it was only his intention to give a mere indication of the number of votes polled at Dunedin proper, North Dunedin, and the North-east Valley.

The totals were Gillies ... ' 585 Macandrew ... 1159 Graham 7 The official declaration of the poll would be made on Thursday, the 26th inst.; in the meantime, such returns as came to his hands would be handed to the daily papers for publication.—(Applause.) The announcement of Mr Macandrew’s majority was received with loud cheering; that of the number polled by Graham with much laughter. Mr Mac vndrbw, on coming forward, was received with loud and continued cheering, and spoke as follows : Gentlemen, I have no doubt but that the result of the poll which has just been announced may be taken as a fair indication of the election to-day throughout the Province,—(Cheers.) Of course, until all the returns are in, it would be premature for me to do that which 1 hope to have the honor of doing when the poll is officially declared, viz., to thank the electors as the Superintendent of Otago elected for the fourth time—(Loud cheers.) Gentlemen, be that result throughout the Province what it may, the electors of Dunedin have done their duty nobly—(hear)—to themselves and to the rest of the Province, and I now beg to return them my most heartfelt thanks. Especially do I desire to thank the members of my Committee, for whose exertions I feel that I can never be sufficiently grateful. Gentlemen, I am proud to think that Dunedin has given its verdict in favor of my action in going in for a dissolution:—(loud cheers)—action which! feel persuaded will result in a considerable purification of the political atmosphere,— in the promotion of the very bent interest? of the to th? bow

of victory, let us all remember that modesty and moderation are essential ingredients of true greatness. -gentlemen, I again thank yoh most unfeignedly for the high position in which you have placed me on the poll. I now beg to call upon you to unite with me in giving three most hearty cheers for Her Gracious Majesty the Queen. The appeal was at once responded to, and in addition three ringing cheers were given for Mr Macaodrew ; and, in response to the invitation of some one in the crowd, three vigorous groans for the Daily Times. Mr Fish came forward and said : I beg to move a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, Mr Street; and I think ho is entitled to our hearty thanks on account of the very speedy way in which he has delivered the result of the poll in Dunedin. —(Applause.) I am sure that I am only re-echoing your feeling when 1 say that I am proud of the result of the poll in Dunedin to-night. In no place throughout the country, as far a« we have yet got returns, has Mr Macandrew been in the minority ; but in most places he has had a very large majority (cheers)— and, gentlemen, this fact speaks well for the intelligence of the people. I beg to move a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer. The vote was acknowledged by Mr Street, and the proceedings terminated. The following are the returns which came to hand by telegraph and otherwise up to midnight. Returns have yet to come in from forty places, but they cannot materially affect the result. M. G.

Present majority for Macandrew, 1265. The returns for the districts marked thus (*) as furnished by our correspondents, do not agree with those furnished by Mr Macandrew’s Committee. Their numbers are as follow: Hampden • • • • 42 24 Green Island • • 57 32 Winton - • • • 20 37 1,685 voted in Dunedin yesterday. In 1871 the number was 1,610. The only districts Graham polled in were, Dunedin, 7; Invercargill, 2 ; Port Chalmers, 2; Bluff, 1. There were fourteen informal votes recorded at Invercargill. PORT CHALMERS. The Returning Officer, Mr Reid, declared the poll at Port Chalmers yesterday afternoon, at half-past four o’clock, in fr »nt of the Court-house. There were about 200 persons present. It was thought throughout the day that Mr Macandrew would have a majority of 200, and the result proved the guess to have been pretty correct. Mr M‘Dermid thanked the electors on behalf of Mr Macandrew, when three cheers were given for him.

Dunedin . 1019 477 Bluff - - 35 3 North-east Valley . 20 39 Port Chalmers - - 216 17 Hawksbury - . 51 33 Cromwell - 25 27 Alexandra - - 53 50 Caversham - - - 75 25 Forth Dunedin, - . . 120 69 Riverton . 96 6 Morninuton . . 10 3

o Balclutha 39 84 Hampden* 68 41 Waikari 39 23 Clyde 54 19 Palmerston ■ 36 57 Naseby 78 18 Invercargill 243 202 Queenstown Winton* 104 42 17 37 Tokomairiro 74 141 Southbridge - 3 19 Glenore3 22 Waihola 15 42 Oamaru 132 104 Papakaio 21 11 East Taieri 80 49 Green Island* 69 32 Mavis Bush - 5 25 Gummie’s Bush • 30 0 Blueskin 27 47 Arrow 45 27 Portobello • 59 18 West Taieri • 29 46 Anderson’s Bay - 35 24 Kaikorai iScboolhouse 13 6 Kaikorai Drill-shed 26 17 Moke Creek 42 1 North-East Harbor 24 2 Tuturau 4 45 Mimihau . • 12 28 Lawrence - 129 32 Blue Spur • 57 13 Waitahuna - 63 14 Wetherstones 64 1 Kawarau Gorge • 3 12 Bannockburn 10 13 Bendigo 7 0 Kaitangata 6 46 Warepa 1 52 South Clutha 9 56 Popotunoa - 6 27 Otepopo 27 30 Waipori 49 21 Beaumont • 16 2 Otakia 18 33 Hillend 2 8 Total • - 3603 2338