AN EPISODE OF THE LATE ELECTIONS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 226, 4 July 1873, Page 3

AN EPISODE OF THE LATE ELECTIONS.

, The Dunedin correspondent of the ' Tuapeka Times ' tells the following laughable story. " A rather amusing incident occurred in connection with the election for Caversham, on Friday, which I had almost forgotten, but which is worth recording. It is ,well known that a vote or two, more or, less might be of vital importance toreither of the candidates, and as. a matter. of course every voter who could by any possibility be dragged to the poll was ferretted out. Two voters were found to be employed at Messrs Gribb and Clayton's ; and the performance commences with Mr Pish (actively working on behalf of Mr Leary) posting down tp.the factory, and obtaining an interview with Mr Gribb, who, however, could not possibly spare till dinner time. Mr Fish here intimated his intention of ; coming down at 12 o'clock with a cab; but? <«.s it turned out that the men had only.half-an-hour to dinner, • in which time they f.could not possibly get their meal,, and go out to Caversham and back again, the project of the "Leary" Pish seemed likely ,to be defeated. The matter was, however, eventually settled by Mr Pish announcing his intention of coming down at twelve with his I cab, and two good dinners for the allimportant voters, to be consumed during the drive. Shortly afterwards, down posts. Mx B. Isaac, a hot Stout partizan, who also discovered the whereabouts of the two voters. An interview takes place with Mr Gribb, but Mr Isaac's endeavors to obtain the two men are also futile; and finally the same "happy thought" concerning the dinners seems to flit across his brain, and, unconscious that his rival had been there before him, he takes his departure chuckling over the brilliant coup de main by the aid of which he supposes he will secure two votes for his friend Mr Stout. Twelve o'clock arrives, and thundering doWn to the factory comes Fish's cab with the smoking hot dinners, singular to relate closely followed by another cab, also containing two • smoking hot dinners, taken care by his bete noir, Mr Isaac. Of course a scene occurred between the occupants, and after a wordy contest it finally concluded by each of the voters taking possession of a separate cab and two dinners, evidently to their intense gratification and amusement. But the tantalising mystery of the ballot prevents any knowledge of their proceedings after arriving at Caversham. Whether they stuck to the colors of their respective prcvidores,. or totally ignored the exertions of those gentlemen, and voted as their principles die fated, I cannot say. Let us hope, however, that the latter is the case, and that they quietly laughed in their sleeves at the whole proceedings."