MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 781, 21 December 1876, Page 3

MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

CHRISTCHURCH. The elections for Mayor in Christchurch, and Boroughs of Lyttelton and Kaiapoi took place yesterday. In this city more excitement was shown than has been the case for years, and from an early hour of the day the friends of both candidates worked most energetically until the closing of the poll. It was known that the official declaration of the poll would be made at seven o’clock, but before that hour a large crowd had assembled in front of the Council Chambers. A few moments after the appointed hour Mr G. L. Lee, Returning Officer, appeared at the door, and having mounted a chair, declared the result of the poll to be as follows: —Mr James Gapes, 680; Mr Charles Thomas Ick, 515; majority of votes for Mr Gapes, 166. [Cheers ] He had therefore to declare Mr James Gapes to be duly elected Mayor of Christchurch for the ensuing year. [Loud cheers ] Mr Gapes, who was vociferously called for, stepped on to the chair and said he felt proud indeed for the honor conferred upon him that day, and he also felt that his position at that moment rather put into the shade the election of the previous Mayors— [hear, hear] —from the fact of hia having been elected by the bulk of the people. It gave him all the more confidence in himself to feel that he possessed their confidence and good wishes, and he begged to assure them that his efforts in the future would be to endeavor to retain those feelings. [Cheers.] After referring to the increased powers granted to the Council under abolition, to the danger of the Drainage Board, Board of Health, and the Council clashing, and expressing an opinion that the members of the City Council would be able to look after the interests of the ratepayers, he went on to speak of charitable aid. It would be the duty of the Council to see that the rights of the citizens were not infringed upon by persons who had never worked for their living. The difficulty would be how to relieve distress, and not give relief to the undeserving. He begged co return his sincere thanks for the very high honor they had conferred upon him that day. (Loud and prolonged cheers.] Mr Ick returned his warmest thanks to those who had voted for him. Though defeated he did not feel vanquished, and the time might come when he would occupy the position held by Mr Gapes. [Cheers.] After referring to the position of the oity affairs at the present time, compared with what it was at the last election, he concluded by again thanking those who had worked and voted for him. In answer to loud and repeated calls, Mr Hobbs said he did not know why he had been called on to speak, as he had made his dying speech at noon that day. He thanked them sincerely for their kindness, and hoped the time might come when ho could again seek their confidence. 1 Loud and continued cheers.] On the motion of Mr Gapes, seconded by Mr Ick, a vote of thanks was accorded to the returning officer, who briefly replied. Three cheers were given for Mr Gapes and the retiring Mayor, and the crowd dispersed, LYTTELTON. The voting for election of Mayor took place yesterday. At 4.25 p.m. Mr F. Fielder, the returning officer, declared the state of the poll to be as follows : Rouse 225 Allwright 166 And declared tbe former duly elected. The Mayor being absent, Mr Allwright came forward and addressed ihe electors. He said they had chosen Dr Rouse as Mayor, and they must understand that he should go into that Council to do his duty as a councillor, but not to do Mayor’sduty. He did not believe the gentleman they had elected was able to carry on the duties he had undertaken—not from any want of ability—but owing to the exigencies of his profession. They had that day by vote endorsed the Mayor’s past services, but he knew as a member of that Council whether that office had been fulfilled to his satisfaction. The Mayor had got into a difficulty, and he did not know

how it could be got out of. There should have been a meeting of the Council that day, as it was the 3rd Wednesday in December, in order that the accounts might be signed by the Mayor, whose year of office expired at noon that day. There had been no meeting, last year’s accounts were uof signed, and he did not know how they could be now, as the Mayor’s term of office had expired. At Christchurch and other municipalities where the work was done properly the meeting had been called. He had no doubt the election might be easily upset by expending a certain sum of money, as without doubt many had voted who had no right to do so, People might say that it was not the Mayor’s duty to carry affairs out, but it was clearly his duty to see his subordinates did do so. As on former elections, pressure had been used, and he had that day reported an official of the harbor authorities to his superior officer for saying he would discharge a man if he did not vote for Rouse. They must remember this had not been merely an election for Mayor, but for a member for the Harbor Board also. If only for Mayor, he believed he should have succeeded, but some of those connected with the Harbor bad resolved ho should not be'elected. If he had not expected to win he should have tried to bring the Local Election Bill into force, by which each ratepayer had only one vote, and he thought there were none there who would not acknowledge that, had the election been held under that Act, he should hare been the successful candidate. He now begged to announce his intention of standing as a member of the Harbour Board for Lyttelton. The nomination would take place on Saturday next, and the election, he was sorry to say, on New Year’s day. He hoped they would all support him, as, however much he respected Mr Murray-Aynsley, he did not think he was the man they wanted as member for Lyttelton. They wanted one of themselves, and he hoped they would elect him. As he had before publicly stated, Lyttelton had, as usual, been left in the background in this matter. Four members were elected for Christchurch, and only one for Lyttelton. He hoped that on New Year’s d ay, at 4.30 p.m , he should stand before them not as now, a defeated candidate, but as their member on the Lyttelton Harbor Board He thanked those who had supported him and also those who had not, for they had saved him a great deal of work, and he hoped the Mayor would pay more attention to his duties, though he was afraid his professional work would prevent his doing so. This brought the proceedings to a close. KAIAPOL During Wednesday there was a fair amount of interest taken in the polling for Mayor, the candidates, Messrs J, W. Ellen and G. P. Milsom, with their supporters, sparing no pains to bring the burgesses to the polling place at the Council Chamber, The poll opened at 8 a.m and closed at 4 p.m, the Mayor, Mr B. G. Kerr, acting as returning officer. At the close of the polling, the returning officer declared the numbers polled to be— Ellen 99 Milsom 65 He had therefore to declair Mr John Wesle Ellen duly elected. Messrs Ellen and Milsom briefly returned thanks.