Colonial.
WELLINGTON. Our latest dates from this province.are to the 17tb instant. • •
At Wellington the days for nomination and polling at the election of Superintendent were fixed by the Returning Officer so as to allow a long interval to elapse between them, owing to the distance between the town and. many of the polling places. This interval has been taken advantage of, to get up the most violent state of party feeling. We can scarcely give our readers an idea of the means resorted to and the tone adopted by Mr. Welch and his supporters, without referring them to the Wellington papers. Every individual who holds office under Dr. Featherston, or who supports him, is denounced in, in the coarsest language. Mr. Jerninghani Wakefield produced upon the platform of a crowded meeting at the Hutt, a woman servant, to accuse Mr. Clifford of defrauding her of her wages. This step was, however, unfortunate; as Mr. Wakefield had to write an apology for the falsehoods then uttered, which apology has appeared in both the Wellington papers. The animus of Mr. Welch's supporters, and the total want of decency, not to speak of gentlemanlike feeling, which actuates many, is sufficiently prominent. On the other side, the " Wellington Independent "■ is not free from the charge of personalities. The squibs attacking Mr. Welch, personally do no not add dignity to the party from which they emanate. Dr. Featherston's friends -could, we think, afford to let Mr. Welch's personal appearance alone. An unfortunate technical mistake on the day ■of nomination may lead to some trouble. The show of hands was for Mr. Welch, whereupon Dr. Featherstorfs proposer demanded a poll; Dr. Featherston himself being present at the proceedings. The law requires that one of the candidates or six electors shall demand the poll. Mr. Welch takes advantage of the inaccuracy, and requires the Returning Officer to declare him duly elected. Mr. St. Hill refuses to do so. He replies— 41 As however, I am of opinion that the provision contained in the 42nd clause of the proclamation of the Constitution Act has been in spirit ■ and effect complied with (the candidate having been present during the proceedings on the day of nomination), I cannot accede to the claim made by you to be returned as Superintendent of the province." It would indeed be absurd that such a technical difficulty as the one started should overthrow an election. The evident meaning of the law is, that the province should not be inconvenienced by any crotchety person calling for a poll without the wish of the candidate himself. It is not to the credit of Mr. Welch that he should wish to •avail himself of such an irregularity. The following letter has appeared in the • Independent' on the subject, by which it would appear that Mr. Fitzherbert demanded the poll in the name of the requisite number of electors: "We the Undersigned Electors of the Province of Wellington do hereby declare that we were: present, at the Hustings at Wellington on Monday, the 28th September last, to support the nomination of Dr. Featherston for the Superintendency of this province, and that we did then and there demand a poll on his behalf." Signed by—Wm. Fitzherbert, Wm. Lyon, J. Woodward, G. Edwards, Wm. Flyger, C. R. Carter. Though the Dart left Wellington on Wednesday, the papers of that day were not then published^ and we have consequently no official intimation of the state of the poll at that time. We hear, however, from private sources that Mr. Welch had a very decided majority in the town of Wellington, which was somewhat decreased by the return at the Hutt, and would in all probability be changed to a minority when the poll at the outlying districts should be taken into account. NELSON. The Dart brings papers to the 14th. At this date the returns which had been received from the distant polling places for the Superintendent's election gave Mr. Robinson 633 votes, being a majority of 270 over Mr. Saxton. The Mountain Maid, which was signalised yesterday from the hill, will bring later news from Nelson. The Arauri returns will not, probably, have come to hand at the time of her departure, but they cannot affect Mr. Robinson's position.
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Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 519, 24 October 1857, Page 4
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710Colonial. Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 519, 24 October 1857, Page 4
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