WAKANUI ELECTION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2557, 19 June 1882, Page 3

WAKANUI ELECTION.

OFFICIAL DECLARATION Off THE POLL.

The official declaration of the poll in oonneotion with the above election took place at tho Aihburton County Saleyards at noon on Saturday, when there were about 100 persons present, including eleotors and not-elector*, all of whom appeared to have taken a deep interest in the political contest. From the returns given below it will be seen that they differ slightly from those telegraphed on Friday night, two informal votes and a careful scrutiny having reduosd the majority in favor of the successful candidate to 62. Thi-aotual number of votes polled in the whole eleotoral district is 1140, and out of these there was one informal vote rooorded at the Ashburton County Saleyards, and one at the Eakaia booth, thus reduoing the total legitimate votes to 1138, the number polled for Mr Ivess being COO, and that for Mr Saunders 538. It will also be seen that Mr Ivess' great stronghold was in the immediate vioinity of Aohburton, while Mr Saunders had a large majority in his favor at Bakaia. At twelve o'clock, the Beturning Oflber (Mr Geo. Jameson) officially announced the result of the polling in the various districts to be— Ivess. Saunders. County Saleyards ... 287 197 Bakaia 110 171 Wakanui 56 20 Pendarves 33 49 Hinds 36 28 Langbeach 78 73 Totals ... 600 538 Majority for Mr Iveas, 62. He had therefore to declaro Mr Joseph Ivess duly elected to represent the Wakanui district in Parliament. Mr Ivess then came forward and thanked the electors for the great honor they had oonferred upon him in electing him as their representative. When he aodressed them from that platform on the 10th Decnmber last, he had to do so as a defeated candidate, ho was proud to say that he was now placed in a reverse position. During the present contest he had had to face difficulties in the shape of capital and strong influence, but he had been elected by a majority of the Liberals of all denominations', and should go forth with pride to plaugh the furrows of the Wakanui district, He would show true allegiance to the Liberal oause, and would never be found going over to the Conservative ranks, and he hoped at leant to earn a name for honesty of purpose. When next he addressed them he booed to be able to show the eleotors of Wakanui that he was a fit person to hold the trust they had reposed in him. The speaker then referred to the fair and impartial manner in which the election had been conduoted by the returning officers, and said that on this occasion he trusted there would be no necessity for an appeal to the Election Petitions Court. (Cheers.)

Mr Saunders, in thanking the electors of Wakanui, said he was not going to sing "Pity the sorrows of a poor old man." He did not want pity—all he wished for was fair play. He had fought many a fight, and sometimes ha had lost and sometimes won—more often won than loßt—but he never stood before a body of electors with greater pride than he did that day. He should say very little, bnt as he was now probably retiring into private life, and might never come bofore them again as a candidate, he would like to explain away some of the misstatements that had appeared in print about himself on the morning of the election. Mr Saunders here read extracts from sevoral letters that h»d appeared in the Ashburton "Mail," and refuted the ohargea there brought against him, stating that whole pages of abuse had been brought out against him on the very morning of the election, when he could have no opportunity to reply to them. It was important for him to make an explanation, bo that they migbt know whether the man they had elected was to be trusted or not. Mr Saunders was here interrupted in his remarks, but after replying to several questions, ho proceeded to say that ho now had a more ploasant task to perform, and that was to thank the electors and many other friends for the very liberal and disinterested manner in which they had come forward to support him. During the present oontest he had not asked for a single vote, but he had met with many of Nature's nobles during the election that he did not before know existed, and these had come forward and supported him in a liberal and disinterested manner. He wished to thank them, as he might not again have the opportunity. Though defeated, he was perfectly satisfied that he had had the support of a large majority of the really free and independent electors. After a hearty vote of thanks to the Heturning Officer, the proceeding?, which had been of a somewhat noisy charaoter, terminated.