ELECTION OF COUNCILLOR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 263, 29 December 1880, Page 2

ELECTION OF COUNCILLOR.

Shortly after half-put six yesterday erening, the hour appointed for the declaration of the poll, the doors of the Council Chamber were thrown open, and the large crowd who had been waiting outside entered the room to hear tb« result of the election, which was announced by Mr Greenfield, the Returning Officer, to be at follows : — Graham ... ... 555 Bethwaite ... ... 284 The announcement was received with loud cheers. Mr Graham theu said that it only remained for him to return bis sincere thanks to those who had placed him in such a position. On two previous occasions he had been a candidate and suffered defeat, which showed that the feeling was then against him, but he might now accept the result of the present election as a proof that that feeling was changed. Why it ever existed he could scarcely say, but there seemed to be Borne sort of impression that if h« got in he would create mischief, but ha could assure them that he would do his best for the ratepayers and to »cc that the works of the City were properly carried on. A gool deal bad been said against him, but he was surprised at tbt littleness of tba objections raised by some of the big people. There was one particular matter which ho would not mention that had been brought against him on this as well as on previous occasions. There was one thing he would wish to impress upon the ratepayers, that was that if they erer heard anything against him ihej would go direct to him and ask about it, and ho would promise to be honest in replying to them. He was a little surprised at the action of the Mayor in. trying to keep him out, the more 10 that after the lata Mayoral election he (Mr Dodson) bad come up to him and said he could shake hands wilh him as a gentleman and a friend. The reason for his opposition was that he feared he (Mr Grakam) would talk too much, and so prolong the sittings of the Council. All be could saj was that he would far rather work than argue, but, at the same time, if erer it was necessary to express an opinion he should not hesitate to do so in the plainest and distinctcst of terms. He wished to thank not only those who had Toted but those who had worked for him, and to show the correctness of tbfir estimate of the result after keeping count of those who had polled, he might gay "that the number they had set down was 155, being exactly that stated by the Returning Officer. Although it was not perhaps the largest number ever polled by a City Councillor, it was certainly the largest majority by which one had erer been returned. His duties bad now commenced, and he begged to assure them that U erer he made any mistakes tkey

5 would be the result of error of judgment, 1 and not of design. Once more he wished to thank them for electiog him. (Cheers). 1 Mr Bi-TUATAitK said that seeing the large ! i majority accorded to Mr Graham there could 1 be no doubt whatever that tho ratepayers 1 thought him the fitter man of the two for the office, and he wiehed to say that throughout there had been between himselfandMrGrabam ! i tbo best of feeling. The loss of the election . was partly owing to his own fault, if fault it I was to solicit no man's vote, but his idea of ; conducting an election was that no money 1 should be spent and no one asked to give his 1 vote, but that all Bhould be left to act according to their own judgment. He hoped 1 they would have no reason to regret their • choice, and he did not think they would. (Cheers.) On tbe motion of Mr Bethwaite, seconded by Mr Graham, a vote of thanks was accorded to tho Returning Officer.