KAIAPOI ELECTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4324, 29 January 1875, Page 3

KAIAPOI ELECTION.

(From the Lyttelton Times, January 23.) The polling for the election of a member of the House of Representatives, to fill the seat rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr. John Studholme, took place yesterday at the court-houses at Kaiapoi and Rangiora. On no previous occasion of the Idnd has so much interest been taken in the proceedings, in proof of which it may be mentioned that out of a total number of 611 electors on the roll,, of whom at least fifty are dead or absent, no less than 486 recorded their votes. Shortly after five o’clock the Deputy-Returning Officer for the Rangiora booth arrived at Kaiapoi, and at 5.45 the Returning-Officer, after stating that he should not make the official declaration of the poll until Monday morning at 9 a.m., gave the following, which he believed to be perfectly correct, as the result of the election: — Kaiapoi, Rangiora Total. Bowen 182 112 Beswick 154 38

Majority for Bowen .. ... ... 102 The announcement was received with prolonged cheering. Mr. Beswick, who was in his trap outside the court-house, arose, and, addressing the dense crowd which by this time had assembled, said that as, he believed he was defeated by a majority of a hundred, he would take that opportunity of thanking those who had supported him. He exhorted all who were qualified to become electors to register their votes at once, or in the course of the ensuing two months, and expressed a hope that in the future the electors of the district would not suffer themselves to be represented by men dragged from all parts of the country. Though defeated this time, it was his inteution to come forward at the next general election, and stand the contest again. The Hon. O. C. Bowen addressed the electors from the balcony in front of Wearing’s Kaiapoi Hotel. He warmly thanked all his supporters, and also thanked those who had not voted, for the courtesy that had been displayed towards him throughout the election. He said he now considered himself a Kaiapoi man, that he had been elected to the freedom of the borough, and he assured them that as loug as Kaiapoi stuck to him he would stick to Kaiapoi. Judging by the result of the election then practically concluded, he felt confident that at the next election he should be returned unopposed, for he was satisfied that the electors of the district did not choose their man at haphazard. Hovever, whether there was a contest or not he most certainly should present himself at the next general election. Once again he begged to thank the electors who had placed him at the head of the poll. Mr. Bowen’s speech was received with cheers, in which both those who had supported and those who had opposed his return heartily joined.