NAPIER TOWN ELECTION.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1459, 19 October 1872, Page 2

NAPIER TOWN ELECTION.

The result of the poll was declared at noon yesterday by the Returning Officer, who reported the number of votes as follows : Mr Colenso 83 Mr Newton , 82 He therefore declared William Colenso, Esq, to h? duly elected. He explained that two votes had been disallowed, it being quite impossible to ascertain for whom they were intended. One voting paper, which he allowed, bore a signature. This was quite iriegular, but the name of one of the candidates being erased, there could be no doubt for whom it was intended. In future, however, he would not count any voting paper upon which a name was written. He might add that the allowance or disallowance of this v'ote made no difference in the general i caulk. Mr Colenso said that as they were in close proximity to the Resident Magistrate's Court, where business was coins on, he would address them from a convenient spot on the Government lawn.

The assembled electors accordingly adjounu'd to the place indicated, where the candidates addressed them from a large rack, which formed an impromptu platform,

Mr Colenso thanked all the electors who had supported him, individually and collectively. If they had not come forward aa they had, he would not have been returned to-day. Ho knew of upwards of twenty of his supporters who had not polled, being absent at the show and elsewhere, and being confident of his return—a confidence partly accounted for by the tone of his election address. But for this fact, the discrepancy between hi* present position anil the one he held eighteen months ago could not have been accounted for. He had not asked for a single vote ; he had no committee, and he did not himself vote, though urged to do so. He complained of the system adopted —not by Mr Newton himself, bur: by his supporters-—of touting and teasing electors for their votes. It was on the principle that all was fair in politics ; it was an insult to on (civilization ; and he had always wiitten and spoken against the system. Kingsley, in one of his essays, alluded to what he called " the Devil's beatitude f—" Blessed is he ihat expecteth nothing, for he shall not be disappointed." He had on the contrary expected something, and had not been disappointed. And even if he had, he would not ha*e been deprived of the glorious position of a fortnight's expectation. He would, now refer to a letter published in a local paper, the Times, signed "John Begg." Had it been anonymous, he would not have referred to it, but he liked a man who opposed him to come out openly. In the first place, Mr Begg said he had always been an opponent of paid officials. Did he wish to *ee all the officials- Judges,. heads of departments and clerks—work for the common weal without pay ? Such a proposition would be Chartism of the worst description. Next he (Mr Colenso) found himself described as the obedient mate of Mr Ormond. He had always taken this position—to support the Go\eminent in all that whs good but, as had been already shown, he had opposed one or two pet ideas of Mr Ormond's—notably in the discussion which took place on the regulations affecting special settlements. Mr Sutton : No. Mr Buchanan : No.

Mr Colenso continued. He repeated that he opposed Mr Qrmond ou those resolutions, and moreover pressed him to a division—as the Council records would show. Next, he was accused of voting too much for Porangahau. Had Mr Begg been to Porangahau 1 Did he know the position or requirements of that district 1 He (Mr C) did. Thousands of pounds had been laised from the Porangahau settlers, yet like the people of Clyde at Wairoa, their district had been neglected, and their wants unattended to. It was owing; to his knowledge of this that he voted as he did. He was next called a placehunter. He had never sought office, but on the conlraiy had been sought after to hold the positions he had takeuDuring one session of the Assembly he had given a general and independent support to the Government of the day. At the close of the session he went to say good-bye to the Premier, and took occasion to ask for one or two tilings for Bay. The Premier said, " Have you nothing to say for yourself?'' He said "No," and received the reply, "You are the first person who lias faithfully supported the Government through the session who has not, had some request to make on his own account." A place-hunter! He abominated the very name. He believed in suitable men tilling Government situations, and in their being well paid. With regard to the letter, he did not think the idean were Mr Bess's own. He thought " J. 8." would have been a more correct signature than 'John Begg " Mr J. Buchanan came forward and asked if that latter remark was intended to refer to him. Mr Colenso : Oh !

Mr Buchanan said he had no right to speak except on pergonal grounds, not being an elector for the district, but with the leave of the meeting he would say a word when. \b,Q candidate.* had done.

Mr Colenso said he had laid down an axiom on the nomination day ; he would now take it up. "The ace of pearls was wo.tth more than the four of

clubs or the five of diamonds." This was not intended to represent a literal fact. He did not know much of the cards, but believed that in one gamethe four of clubs was of great import: ance. The four of dobs were these t the clubs held by his friends Messrs I<ee, Sutton, Kennedy, audTiffen. All their influence, direct and indirect,, constituted the four of clubs with which the electors were threatened. But all the thumping and battering, oi the four of clubs had been in vain. What constituted the five of diamonds? Mr Newton's election was required to complete the live. Standing then at his corner you might see them all, like the spots on the card : Messrs Newton, Kennedy, Lee, Tiffen, and Sutton.. But the five of diamonds had gone for nothing. If the result had been the other way, and the five oriental dia< monds had been together in the Council —what then? Why, the electors, would have found their mistake, and not rested till they put the old ace of hearts once more in his place. Yea, the influence of the single heart-the man who did his best for those who had given him his commission—was more potent than the club held aloft or the diamond slipped into the pocket. •* One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." Mr Swan had said «•' unity is. strength." True; but whose fault was it that the town membersweienotunited —his fault or the fault of the others ?;• The electors knew best; they placed, him a long way ahead of the others, and then those others would not work with him. What kind of unity did the Telegraph demand? Why,, that the town members should form a block in. opposition to the country. Sapient editor ! What would be the immediate result? The country members would retaliate, form a larger and niore com? pact block, and the town would get nothing If the editor had been wisehe would have tried a dilFerent kind of policv. He would have said, " Mr Colenso, your rheumatism is increasing, you cannot hear so well as you used to do— ) uu. are not so well fitted to, represent us as you were in your younger days."' That might have had some weight—more weight than the wild scratching and clawing system.. The Telegraph further said he had promised nothing tor the future, but., had contented himself with pointing to. the past. Would any but a greenhorn, have raised the objection ? Were not past faithful services a better guarantee for the future than a host of nomination promises I sajdthe Telegraph,, come forward like Jack Cade on Blackheath—promise us that the loaf shall be sold for a penny, and that it shall be felony to drink small beer. He could do better—appeal to, the memories of living men around him. The Telegraph further said that tho country districts would never think of returning men whose interestslay in the to-vn, and vice versd K Here was a precious t?aiuple from the article. What dUtiiet did Mr Kinross represent ? Wairoa. And Mr Tiffon, a town member—his interest lay in the coun ry. Here were facUgiving the editor the lie to his face, but tho man had not eyes to see it.. He was charged with selling his constituents for the office and salary of School Inspector. A poor remnant of thai salary remained after deducting expenses. Out of his first quarter's salary of £25, £VJ had gone in that way,* leaving him 5s 9d exactly for each day's labor. He would now dose his rambling address, once move thanking the electors, and assuring them that they might depend upon his ever doing his duty as their representative. Mr Buchanan asked if he was referred to by the initials " J. 8." Mr Colenso said Mr J. Begg and hehad long l>eeu friends ; had often talked on politics, and agreed on many points. Mr Begg had always hitherto been a supporter of his. Mr Buchanan ; No. Mr Begg denied that he had been a supporter of Mr Colenso, Mr Colenso, after referring to, thoopposition shown to his return by Mj Buchanan, though holding the office ot Speaker, concluded in these words: 1 did mean Mi' Buchanan. Mr T. K. Nbwtqn said Mi Colenso. had put a wonderfully good face on th* matter. As foi the show, some of W

(Mr N.'s) supporters were absen 1 . tliere also, so that that objection cut both ways. But he considered himself the real victoi. Two informal votes were given, which did not count. Those votes, he was informed, were intended for him. A Voicb: Go to law and prove it. Mr B. B. Johnson, Mr Newton's scrutineer, came forward an 1 .said that lie bad seen tbo papers in question and fully believed the votes to be intended for Mr Newton. They could not be counted, the electors having failed to make the erasure required by law. The Returning Officer said there could be no certainty for whom those votes were intended. He might add that all present at the examination of the papers were under an obligation of secrecy, under a penalty of two years' imprisonment —and double that punishment would not be too great foi a man who should violate such an obligation. Mr Newton said these votes, which he believed were intended for him, would have given him a majority of one. Having made this explanation, it did not occur to him to say anything further. He was not their member, and there was no necessity that he should trouble them with his opinions. All that remained for him to do was to thank the electors for their support and their exertions in his favor. Mr Buchanan then mounted the rock and addressed the electors. He denied having had anything to do with Mr Be<™'s letter —it contained certain errors of fact which he would not have made. He avowed himself an opponent of Mr Colenso, and if he had fired the shots in that letter it would have been with more direct aim. If Mr Newton's committee had taken his advice—had not met in a public house, but had called a public meeting to discuss the BuV>ject—the result ot this election would have been different. Mr Swan would ask Mi Colenso one question. Seeing that the contest was so close, and that two votes were doubtful, would ho consent to try the affair ever again. Mr Colenso's leply was almost lost in the general mirth excited by this proposition. He expressed himself satisfied with the Returning Officer's decision. He considered that if Mr Newton was in his place he would not consen*- to any such proposal Mr J. Begg called upon Mr Colenso if he loved fair play to adopt Mr Swan's suggestion. As for the published letter, it was his own, and the views there ex pressed he still held (Mr Begg then professed himself ready to answer any questions from the electors, and a number of inquiries, chiefly facetious, v ere the result.) The proceedings then terminated with a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, moved by Mr Colenso and seconded by Mr Newton.