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Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1931, Page 2

A good story of a great election fight at Thames in the late sixties, when the office of Superintendent of the Province was at stake, is recalled by Mr Alder Fisher, of Auckland, a

veteran of ninety years, who celebrates his birthday by climbing Raugitoto. In those vivid days an election wa.s not the tame affair it is to-day. “J had been surveying the Tapu Creek field with my brother,” says Mr Fisher, “and was at Thames during the campaign. It was the nearest to war that I have witnessed.' One day I was in the sk°P of Bruce Morpeth, an ironmonger, when Hugliie Coulihan came in an c ] ordered twelve dozen pick handles., to be delivered at I’addy Longfield’s back door. Paddy was a noted hotelkeeper. And the pick handles were used with excellent effect, on the heads of the opposition. In those days it was open voting—hustings—and everyone knew how everyone voted. Fisticuffs were common, and T remember the same Paddv Longffekl rushing past me one dev, after one of the opposite faction. In a few minutes Paddy came back with his 'arm hanging useless by his side. He had aimed a blow at bis antagonist. but hit the wall instead, a n d broke his arm.”