ELECTORAL NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 4021, 15 January 1876, Page 2

ELECTORAL NOTES.

Tde ' Canterbury Press' and ' Wellington Argus,' while opposed to Mr Reynolds personally and politically on all questions cave Abolition, rojoice at the defeat at Port Chalmers of • the Macandrew-cum-Stout cum-Lcague combination. The 'Wellington ArgUß,' professing to have made the discovery of an important fact, questions the validity of the Waitaki election, so far as Mr Hislop is concerned. It says that through his not having resigned the Crown Prosecutorship of Oamara before the election he was ineligible, and no resignation, now can cure the defect or render the return valid. On petition, no doubt Mr Steward will be declared duly elected. There can be no mistake about the politics of Mr Alfred Cox, the member for Waipa. In its report of the proceedings at the nomination, the ' Waikato Times' sayß : —Not the worst of the good things said by Mr Co* yesterday was a parthian shot after Sir George Grey. He had just one thing more to say. He quite agreed that Mr Roche that Sir George was an exceedingly useful man in the Opposition, and if re turned he should so vote as always to keep him there.

Mr'F. Whittaker, who has been more than once Premier of the Colony, has been returned for Waikato East without opposition. The Grey committee endeavored to get Captain Runciman to stand, but *he declined. Mr Whittaker is a pronounced Abolitionist and is opposed to Separation, only because he believes it is impracticable inasmuch as he fears the Imperial sanction will never be given to such a step. At the nomination Mr P. Leslie, who proposed him, is reported to have said:—" He had seen a telegram in which local men were asked to stand in the ' Grey' interest, but if Sir George Grey came himself to Waikato, and went

round the district on his knees, he did not believe he woidd get a vote. No Waikato settler was such a lunatic as to give him one. Sir George Grey would sacrifice "Waikato to-morrow for one howl of adulation from the mob which flatters him in Auckland, and which he pandors to in so dirty a manner." The Press is pretty unanimous in ridiculing Mr Mackay's protest against Sir George Grey's return for the Thames ; and in reference to the other seat, the ' Grey River Argus ' remarks that Mr Rowc may have either personally or by his committee committed a trifling breach of the Regulations of Elections Act, by Laving a committeeroom in a public-house, but it is an offence which does not necessarily involve a forfeiture of his seat. Hokitika has returned two Abolitionists. Mr Barff, who heads tlie poll, has for years been the consistent opponent of Provincialism. When a member of the House in 1868, he had the courage of his opinions and was then prepared "to go the entire length of abolishing Provincial institutions." He would have local matters be administered by shire . aud municipal councils; strongly advocates a system of colonial system of education, to be supported out of colonial revenue ; and if any sections of the community desire to retain the control over their schools, they should be permitted'to do so, receiving a subsidy according to results, or in other words according to the standard of proficiency attained by the scholars; favors manhood suffrage, the abolition of frhe gold duty,

miners' rights being made avaiable throughout the Colony, a property tax, and the Legislative Council being made elective, with a property qualification. Mr Button, in addressing the electors, said he hoped the good sense of the people of the Colony would return such a majority as would enable the Abolition Bill to be practically carried out. The institutions which were to take the place of Provinces must be founded on experiment and experience, and they must be content to pay the price of a good Constitution in the shape of certain errors in the past. His own opinion was that road boards or rural municipalities were preferable to shire councils. It would be a pity to multiply their institutions too much, and road boards or rural municipalities, with large powers given to them, he thought sufficient. He favors secular education,

an improved land and share tax, triennial parliaments, and a Legislative Council. He is opposed to immigration and separation, which was not to be tlought of, and is "simply a Bcheme of persons driven to their wits' ends." MARSDEN. The following is the result of the polling. —Sir R. Douglas, 233; Munro (former member), 164; Brady, 134 ; Hall, 65. The return of Sir R. Douglas strengthens the Opposition another vote. A keen contest is expected for the Franklin constituency. The Government party have withdrawn one candidate, so that no division shall occur in their vote, and take advantage of the division caused by the three Greyite candidates contesting. It is still believed that Lusk and Hamlin (Greyites), will be returned. WAIKAIA.

With reference to the polling yesterday for this seat, the ' Tuapeka Times ' says : "Of late an increased amount of interest has been manifested in the contest. This has been more particularly the case since Mr Ireland's candidature. At Tapanui there was intense excitement." The following are the returns:— Bastings. Ireland. Mervyn.' Teviot 63 54 0 Tapanui 51 17 0 HOKITIKA POLLING. The following is the result of the polling yesterday:— Barff 627 Button 583 Reid 519 Siddon 317 Hoos 5 Three returns are not yet in, but they will not affect the poll as it stands.