THE PAROA ELECTION. MEETING AT GREENSTONE. [WEST COAST TIMES.]

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1370, 19 December 1872, Page 2

THE PAROA ELECTION. MEETING AT GREENSTONE. [WEST COAST TIMES.]

A .large and somewhat excited public meeting was held at Hanna's Hotel, Greenstone, on Monday night, the 16th instant. The meeting wag called by .My:. Cooper, a defeated candidate at the election for Greymouth. He made his appearance at the Greenstone on the day the meeting was called; 'taking' everyone very much by surprise.' Mr Dungan, the late member for- the district, arrived on the same evening and was warmly ceived. At the hour appointed for the meeting Mr Blundle was called to the chair. Mr Cooper, on being introduced to the meeting, said he was glad to meet so large a number of the electors, 1 and as he was the member for the.district — Mr Stevenson : I must interrupt you, Mr Cooper. You say you are the member for the district. How? Mr Cooper : I have lately been made so by the Returning Officer for the Paroa district. (Great confusion, the announcement seeming to excite much surprise.) Mr Henderson: We deny that, and we repudiate it. We all saw by the papers that you withdrew from the conteat and refused to go to the poll. I consider your conduct is not honorable, and that you are not -the member for the district. You have neither our confidence nor our support. ;;.-;...: Mr Cooper, amidst much interruption, explainedMr Hamilton's disqualification because of his being a County contractor, but every time he referred to himself as the member he was met with; indignant protests from .many parts of, . the room. He then mentioned at some length the various questions which would receive his .attention as a member of. the County Council, and concluded by stating that, if he resigned, the election of a County Chairman could not take place, ■- and therefore the business of the Council could not be proceeded with. Mr Dungan then came forward, and was loudly, cheered. He said that it wa3 by a most fortuitous circumstanco that he was ; enabled to be present, and to meet Mr Cooper face to face. He spoke at some length, warmly censuring Mr Cooper's conduct. He read to the meeting Mr Hamilton's letter to the Returning Officer, in respect to his contract with the County Government, and he told the meeting, with authority from Mr Hamilton, that even up to the previous day his (Mr Hamilton's) coutract with the County Government was not signed. He then referred to the statement made by Mr Cooper at the nomination,' and reported in the Grey River Argus, that he would only stand for the purpose of retiring whenever Mr Dungan's qualification was correct. Mr Cooper impugned the correctness of the report of what he had said. : Mr Dungan said he had witnesses in the room, who could testify to the truth of the statement in the Argus. He then referred to some false reports that had been circulated about him, and demanded in vehement - tones whether those who had spoken them were in ihe room. (After a long pause, during which a dead silence was maintained, there were loud and vehement cheers.) Mr Dungan con_clucloel- by-oftyitig__ihfl.t ±h a_peoplel of__the_ district were right in claiming to be entitled to another election; He did not desire the position of member himself, but a man should be taken frotn the district, and let there be a fair and legitimate contest. Mr Stephens moved, and Mr Keer seconded— " That this meeting is unanimous in recording its repudiation of Mr Cooper's assumption to a seat in the County Council for this district, and is of opinion that Mr Cooper has not been elected by the people of the district, and that he cannot, in any seuss of the word, have the support and confidence of the electors." . ■.'.;. The motion was carried by acclamation. ; Mr Keen an moved, and Mr Isbester seconded, " That in the opinion of this meeting any attempt on the part of Mr Cooper to claim the position of member for this district in the County Council, be met by absolute condemnation, and further, that it be met with a petition by the electors, as no just or legitimate contest has taken place to obtain the suffrages of the electors." The motion was carried with deafening cheers. Mr Keer, Mr Foley, Mr Keenan, Mr Hanna, and several others spoke during the evening, condemning Mr Cooper's conduct, and advising him to resign, so that the people could have a fresh election, A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated one of the hottest meetings held on the Greenstone,