COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1604, 17 November 1881, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

The election of members for the County Council of Westland took place yesterday, and, as most of our readers well know, was the cause of a moie than ordiuary amount of excitement being manifested, at least so far as this the Arahura riding was concerned. Equalling in importance and population nearly all the other ridings put together, the electors sought from anions themselves men having sterling ability and honor, and, having formally nominated nine of these gentlemen last Tuesday week, proceeded yesterday to take the -feeling of the electors as to which three of the nine were best fitted for the post. The arrangements made by the Roturning Officer (A. F. F. Etheridge, Esq.) at the various pollingplaces throughout the extensive county, which has a coastal length of something like 180 miles, were <if a character in keeping with that gentleman's farseeing and shrewd repute; in fact, so fur as tho,H polling-places which we specially visited were Concerned, nothing could l.e suggested to make the arrangements more perfect. The poll commenced at. all places at 9 o'clock in the morning, and terminated at 0' p.m., and, considering the number of votes polled, great promptitude wa* displayed. As we have already intimated, by far the ni .>st important riding is the Arahura, and the. largest votin" power in the riding is at Dillman's Town. Here groups of men were to be seen in ail d.ivotions dii. ting upon the chances of the respective Candidates, each of whom at one time or another during the day was to be seen also eagerly inquiring into the pro-.abilities of the day's poll. The excitement gradually as t.l e ..'ay wore on. and when the hour of closing the poll arrived, then- was a p. ri'ei-t ovation when the ftetni-niiig Otlicer at about, 7 o'clock, am,on.iced the number of votts tecorded.

At Kumara, too, a crowd assembled at the Town Hall, the pdll being declared there by Mr Wylde (Deputy Returning Officer) at 6.45 p.m. On his arrival from Dillman's, shortly after seveu o'clock, Mr Etheridge announced the. totals at both places. Messrs Seddon and M'Whirter briefly thanked the electors. Mr Dungan, through seme misunderstanding, was u.;t piesent at this hour. The following are the returns, which we understand are. now complete : TOTALS. Dungan, Peter ... ... 467 Seddon, Richard John ..; 365 M'Whirter, John..;: ... 364 Sandle, Henry William ..; 2(ii Holmes, James ..; ..; 246 Barrowman, Fergus ..: 233 Byrne, James Francis ... 125 Linnell, William Henry ... 38 Munro, Henry 17 We append the returns we have been enabled to obtain, showing the votes recorded at the more important pollingplaces : KUMARA. Dungan, Peter 106 Holmes, James 77 Seddon, Richard John ... 62 M'Whirter, John 60 Sandle, Henry William ... 37 Barrowman, Fergus ... 33 Byrne, James Fraucis ... 14 Linnell, William Henry ... 3 Munro, Henry M. ... 3 dillman's town. Seddon, Richard John ... 149 Dungan, Peter 14.4. Barrowman, Fergus ... 133 M'Whirter, John 123 Holmes, James ... ... 116 Sandle, Henry William ~. 41 Linnell, William Henry ... 9 Byrne, James Francis ... 7 Munro, Henry M. ... 3 STAFFORD. Sandle, Henry William ... 89 Byrne, James Francis .., 71 Seddon, Richard John ... 61 Dungan, Peter 5g M'Whirter, John 36 Linnell, William Henry ... 21 Holmes, James .., ... 10 Barrowmanj Fergus ..., 7 Munro, Henry ;.. ... 1 OOLDSBOItOUGH. Dungan, Peter HG M'Whirter, John...; ... Si Sandle, Henry William ... 60 Holmes, James ...• .. ; 36 Barrowman, Fergus ... 28 Seddon, Richard John ...• 25 Byrne, James Francis ... 19 Linnell, William Henry ... 6 Munro, Henry 0 BIG DAM. M'Whirter, John 13 Seddon, Richard John ... 10 Sandle, Henry William ... 9 Barrowman, Fergus ... 9 Dungan, Peter 5 Byrne, James Francis ... 4 Munro, Henry 3 Holmes, James 1 Linnell, William Henry ... 1 For the Kinieri Riding Messrs Pv,ose and Dale are eltCed. At Totara Messrs Grimmond and Hirter had a walk over. The West Coast Times says " Mr Jack will probably be (he elect of Jackson's Bay, and Mr M'Goldrick is likely to be the'man for Oka.-ito.' Thus of the nine old members, seven are likely to resume their beats at the Council Board." The two new members are Mr Rose for the Kanieri, and Mr Dungan for Arahura.