MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1429, 13 September 1878, Page 3

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

CHRISTCHURCH.

The election of three members to fill the vacancies in the City Council, caused by the retirement by rotation of Crs. Bird, Briggs, and Toomer, took place yesterday. Eight candidates went to the poll. Mr William Wilson apparently had engaged almost all the available cabs and hackney carriages in the city for the purpose of facilitating his friends’ voting. There was an almost total absence of “ squibs,” the only one being a placard in which the electors were cautioned lest they should inadvertently vote for the “De’il (sic) the first scare of Christchurch.” This was presumably intended as ahitatMrWilson, who claimed the suffrages of the citizens as “ first Mayor of Christchurch.” During the day the excitement attending the election was confined within reasonable bounds, but after the closing of the poll, and while the crowd were awaiting the semi-official declaration of the result, advantage was taken of the opportunity for a display of disgraceful larrikinism by some few choice spirits, who pelted with flour those of the candidates who were sufficiently conspicuous to afford a target for them to aim at. Though the poll closed at 6 o’clock the returning officer, Mr G. L. Lee, had not completed his returns until 9 o’clock, at which hour he appeared on the verandah of the Council Chamber and announced the result. The noise made by the crowd made it quite impossible for those at even a moderate distance to hear more than the declaration that the candidate who headed the poll was Mr Gapes, with 1292 votes. The number of votes given for each candidate could only be ascertained by reference to the list posted subsequently, from which the following is copied:— Gapes, James 1292 Wilsbn, William 032 Ayers, Aaron ... ... ... 637 Bird, James A. 615 Briggs, Charles E, 402 Banks, Enoch H 388 Toomer, Henry, sen, ... 291 Tremayne, William ... ... 233 After the noise had somewhat subsided, Mr Gapes climbed on to the fence, and, holding on to the verandah post, attempted to address the citizens assembled. His attempt Was not immediately successful, as before ho could utter a word he was struck in the face by ft quantity of flour, end forced to jump down whilst ho cleared his eyes. Nothing daunted, lie again mounted and was this time allowed to make his acknowledgements of tho honor done him. This he did in the following words:—“ Gentlemen, — I hope you will excuse me for tho few moments I have delayed you, but the fact is that flour went into both my eyes, and I could not see. It is anything but a pleasure to be so treated, and I did not expect it from a respectable lot of citizens. [Uproar.] Perhaps, however, it is excusable on occasions of this kind, I think it would not bo altogether becoming of me to detain you with anything like a speech at this late hour, even supposing that I had intended to address you, 1 simply return you my sincere and hearty thanks for

the very great honor you have done mo this day by putting me in so prominent a position on tho poll. [Cheers.] I bog to bo excused from any further speech, as I don’t feel at all comfortable with this flour in my eyes.” [Cheers.] Mr Wilson then ascended, and addressed tho electors, who received him with cheers and hooting. lie said : —Gentlemen, —“You have done me a very great honor and a very great kindness, and 1 will endeavor to serve you to tho best of my power. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, not only those who have voted for me, but those who thought it was not their duty to vote for me.” A shower of flour hero interrupted tho speaker, and at tho same time the fence upon which ho was standing gave way. A number of enthusiasts seized tho opportunity to lay hold of him, and raising him upon their shoulders, they boro him int o the Clarendon Hotel, followed by tho majority of the crowd. This brought the proceedings to a close. SYDENHAM. Shortly after seven o’clock last night tho returning officer, Mr Cuthbert, at tho Borough Council offices, announced tho result of the election for Councillors, as follows : Charters, William Wombwell 269 Foster, David ... ... ... 211 Andrew, Richard 159 Innes, Francis 11l Ho then declared the first throe to bo duly elected. Tho announcement was received with cheers.

Mr Charters, who was greeted with loud applause, thanked the ratepayers for tho honour they had done him in placing him at the head of the poll. He said that less than twelve months ago lie had come before them a comparatively unknown and untried man. He was greatly pleased to find that the burgesses had shown their appreciation of Ids actions whilst in the Council by placing him at the head of tho poll. He could only say that he intended, if spared, to act in the future as ho had done in tho past, bearing in mind the motto of the Council, “ Deeds not words,” and the welfare of tho Borough as a whole.

Tho address was loudly cheered. Mr Foster, who was also greeted with cheers, said ho was a young man, but intended to do his best for tho borough. He trusted that his actions whilst in tho Council would meet with the approval of tho ratepayers. He was both surprised and gratified at finding himself second on tho list. Mr Andrew being absent up-country, could not return thanks. Mr Innes was called, but did not respond to the call. A vote of thanks to tho returning officer concluded tho proceedings. LYTTELTON. Tho election for Lyttelton passed off quietly, little interest being shown, Mr Holmes was the only candidate who did any canvassing. About 6.30 p.ra. tho result of poll was declared by Mr Fielder, the Returning Officer, as follows : H, Hawkins ... ... ... 133 J. D. Macpherson 131 H. Macdonald 117 W. Holmes 73 He therefore declared the first three, who are tho retiring memoers, duly elected.