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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4211, 18 September 1874, Page 2

Mohe trouble is threatened, it appears, in connection with the Waitemata election. Mr. Von dor Heyde was, for the second time, chosen to represent the district in Parliament, but his opponent on both occasions—Mr. J. S. Macfarlane —is indefatigable, and determined to be member for Waitemata whether the people will have him or not. • On the occasion of his first defeat he discovered that Mr. Yon der Heyde was an alien in New Zealand, though a naturalised subject of Her Majesty in Australia. Now, it appears—when ho has been more signally defeated than before —he has found that some irregularity occurred at the polling booth at Whan. It is stated that the Whau polling place was closed for an hour while the messenger went to town for more ballot papers, which became exhausted shortly after noon. To make amends foy this loss of an hour, the sapient deputy-returning officer kept the booth open an hour later, not closing till five o’clock, when really it should have been closed at four o’clock; upon this, it appears, there is to bo another petition against Mr. Von der Hoyde’a return. Regarding it the Southern Cross says ; —“ There is no doubt that every vote that was given after the hour of four o’clock is a bad vote. But unless it can be proved that at least upwards of vfifty voted at that polling place in favor of Mr. Von der Heyde after four o’clock—or that an equal number were prevented from voting for Sir. Macfarlane at this particular place, in consequence of, the booth being illegally closed for an hour—we do not think it at all likely that Mr. Von der Heyde would be unseated on petition on the ground of irregularity.”

An Industrial Exhibition was held in Nelson about a year or two ago, and—with characteristic energy—the accounts have just been produced, but only in an approximate manner. The total amount of the receipts appears to have been £C37 10s. Gd. Ox that amount a Horticultural Exhibition in comtMfciou with tho Exhibition appears to have realised a sum of £SO; the refreshment-rooms contributed £25; the money taken at the doors amounted to £S7 10s. Cd.; the concerts yielded £ll4 Is.; lotteries produced £37 25.; the sale of catalogues, prize tales, and programmes brought £2l 15s. Gd.; a sum of £152 Is. Gd. was contributed as a fund for special prizes; and £l5O was contributed by the Government. The account on tile other side contains the following items: —Loss by a ball, £0 os. Id.; carting, £ll 15s; goods lost or stolen (naughty Nelson!) £26 4s. 3d.; concert expenses, £lO7 3s. Gd.; printing and advertising, £125 175.; medals, certificates, and prizes, £145 4s. Gd., &o.

The Oity of Nelson is now a municipality, and an election for four members of tlie Corporation has just taken place. It has also a Reform Association, which is remarkably active, not in matters of local politics only, hut in all other mundane thing's. There were eight, candidates, four of whom were nominees of the Association, and of these two were returned. The four candidates elected—and they are given in the order of the number of votes recorded for them—were, Mr. William Wright, Mr. William Haddow,, Mr. Thomas Hoyle Stringer, and Mr. James 11. Hooper. The defeated candidates were—Mr. Martin Lightband, Mr. J. E. Mabin, Mr. W. Jennings, ans Mr. J.' H. Levien. After the election Mr. Lightband, through the Tress, thanked his supporters for then- efforts ; but Mr. J. 11. Levien, who humorously remarked that being the heaviest it was natural he should be found at the bottom, formally protested against the legality of the election, on the ground that many of the electors had polled more votes than they wore entitled to give.