THE ELECTION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 33, 7 February 1879, Page 2

THE ELECTION.

The excitement yesterday was intense as the miuutes passed by after the closing of the poll, and the time approached when the result wns likely to be made known. A large crowd assembled in front of.Mr Pitt's Committee room, and good humored chuff was freely baudied about between the opposing sides, both of whom were even then equally confident of victory. A few minutes after five a messenger was seen approaching from the Oddfellows' Hall waving a piece of paper in hi3 hand, and when it was known that Mr Pitt had a majority- of 11 at that polling place there went up from his side a cheer, which however, wa3 but half hearted, for a larger number to the good had been anticipated from that quarter. But the crowd were not left long in suspense, for three or four minutes later Mr Adams was seen' driving from the Provincial Hall at a pace that Jehu the son of Niuishi might have rivalled but could not have beaten. That he was the winner there could be no doubt whatever, but there were very few, if any, who were prepared to be told that he was elected by 117. The news Iras received with a tremendous cheer, and the enthusiasm of the successful candidate knew no bounds, In a few minutes his pony was unharnessed and for it was substituted a team of sturdy electors who who dragged the victor in his chaise in triumph through the streets. On returning to the Masonic Hall, the Committee room, Mr Adams stood up in his carriage and said :— " Electors of the City of Kelson.— My Committee and supporters have fought a hard fight victoriously. Both sides have done their utmost. Never before have so many electors polled in Nelson. The eyes of New Zealand have been upon us, and the news that Nelson has defiuitely declared itself in favor of national education will excite intense interest throughout the colony. Party feeling has run high, but t can congratulate my Committee on having fought fairly and well, and thrown no mud at our opponents. I trust that any ill feeling that has been excited will pass away, and that both sides will forgive and forget, and that our Nelson people may continue to be a happy and undivided community." At the close of his brief address, Mr Adams was again loudly cheered, and it was a long time before the excitement abated and the crowd dispersed. The result of the poll will be officially declared at the Provincial Hall at uoGn to-morrow. We understand that at the Provincial Hall there were three informal ballot papers, and at the Odd-Fel-lows' Hall no less than twelve, some of the electors having rendered their votes null and void by tampering with the paper, by tearing off the corner bearing the number, others by endeavoring to efface the number with the pencil, while some had struck out the word3 "Name of Candidate/' and left the names untouched, and one or two had struck out both names. i