GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTION.

Kumara Times, Issue 1626, 13 December 1881, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTION.

DECLARATION OF THE POLL.

Some 70 or 80 people assembled at the Court House at noon to-day, to bear the official declaration of the poll. The weather having a showery aspect, the announcement was made within the Court. Punctually to the appointed time,

The Returni.ng~*Officer (W. A. Barton, Esq.) announced that in accordance with the Act he would now proceed to declare the poll, which was as follows :

Richard John Seddon... 697 Edwin Blake ... ... 62i A great number of votes had been recorded. He now declared Mr Richard Jnhu Seddon duly elected a member of the House of Representatives!} [Applause.] / The official returns are made up as follows:

Seddon. Blake; Kumara 210""" 170 Dillman'sTowii... 226 165 Goldsborough ... 25 78 Stafford 99 61 Bijj Dam 8 6 Three Mile Creek 29 45 Chesterfield ... 10 7 Kariieri Forks ... 19 9 Blue Spur .... 8 24 Callaghan's ... 10 12 Upper Crossing ... 29 15 Kokafahi ; .. 7 11 Fox's 8 9 German Gully ... 4 3 TaipO ..; ;;; 5 7 Totals ;.; 097 621 There were six cases of either double voting or similarity of names—it is not known which—but as these were divided, it does not affect the total majority already published. Mr Seddon said: Mr Returning Officer and gentlemen : On the day of nomination I was first on the platform after the nomination, and I said I had no reason to be afraid. The result of the ballot-box has shown that my conduct has had your approval. The battle has been severe,- but the victory is a 1 the sweeter. I will, as in the past, endeavor to do my duty to all ; and I hope those who voted against nw will now unite with my supporters in assisting me.—[Hear, hear, and applause.] I have received congratulations from all parts of the colony. I will not occupy your time with leading more than one of them. [Congratulations were then read from Sir George Grey.] The returns showed that there will be a great change in the administration of the affairs of the colony, the present Ministry being, as far «s can at present be ascertained, in the minoritv. B.ut I shall not oppose any Government in top rabid a manner. 1 return to you one arid all my sincere thanks. To my scrutineers, messengers, and committeemen—men who have spent days and weeks, with no pecuniary reward—no reward other than they believed they were working for the best man, and those who voted for me, I tender my warmest thanks; a'so to those who have been opposed to me, and to the candidate in particular. We were good friends before, and I am happy to say that now all is over, we are friends ag»in,

and I trust there will be no farther ill-feeling in the matter.—[Applause.]

Mr Bgake : Sir, and gentlemen—t return my thanks to all. It was more in the interes ts of my friends and td please them than to please myself that I came forwav 1 to contest this election. It was thoughtless, perhaps, for me to do so; but I did it to please my friends. While the election has been carried on in a very fair manner) there was due expression made use of at the Theatre Royal, that I did not like. Mr Seddon said that he would fight it out to the bitter end j that expressid 1 I did not like. I thank you all for tb>, position you have placed me in, which I find is the" ve.y highest number of votes of any defeated candidate.—[Applause.] I hope Mr Seddon will do a little better in the future than he has done in the past. —[Applause.]

Mr Barff: Mr Returning Officer; with yonr permission, I would like to make a little explanation. [Mr Barton i I see no objection.] As I have been grossly misrepresented, I wish td place myself right with the electors of the district. Gentlemen—There were numbers of the electors pledged to me during this election, whom I found afterwards went over to the other candidates in scores; and things were getting so involved as to render it necessary for me to consider my position and I placed myself unreservedly in the bauds of my friends to adopt their advice. The result you know : I withdrew. It has been said I was bought out. Gentlemen, I assure yon there is not money enough in New Zealand to buy me out. Though not bought out,: I have been undoubtedly sold.—; [Laughter and applause.] Mr Seddon then proposed a vote of thauks to the Returning Officer for the 1 very satisfactory arrangements whichj on the testimony of the scrutineers, had been made for the carrying on of thd election and the polling.—[Applause.] Mr Blake had much pleasure in seconding the motion* No one thought more highly than he did of Mr Barton, whom he had known from his child* hood.—[Applause.] Mr Barton responded* He was gratified to state that the election had gone through without the slightest hitch between himself and deputies, and that there was satisfaction to all parties.

Thus terminated the first general election for the Lvumara district.