THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5449, 13 September 1878, Page 4

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

Yesterday the election of oue councillor for each of the four wards iu the borough took place. So far as the general appearance of the town could be taken as an indication of public feeling in the matter, there appeared very little excitement, and beyond the fact of the cabs being rather busily em-ployed—-some , of them bearing placards calling upon the ratepayers to vote for a particular candidate—there was nothing to show that an election was going on. At the several polling places, however, there was more evidence of an actual contest, and at Cook Ward there was some confusion in the polling booth, which resulted iu an adjournment of the poll until the following clay. The following is the result of the election : thoendon ward. John Magiuity... ... ... 448 Alfred Kingcome Newman .. 263 Majority for Magiuity ... 185 Considerable interest was taken amongst the ratepayers of this ward, and long before six o’clock a largo number of people was congre- f gated in front of the polling booth. At a quarter past-seven, Mr. Ames, the returning officer, declared the state of the poll, which was received amidst loud cheering. Mr. Magiuity said that the result of the poll was a source of great pleasure to him. It was a sure sign that he still held the support of the majority of the ratepayers of the ward. He assured them that he should continue to do his utmost for the welfare of the citizens. Mr. Maginity was then carried shoulderhigh from the" polling-booth, and the proceedings terminated. - LAMBTON WARD. The numbers were declared as follows: Thompson ... ... ... 867 Allan 247 TE ABO WARD. For To Aro Ward the numbers were;— Young ... ... ... ... 528 Taylor ... ... 182 COOK WARD, At Cook Ward during the day more than the number of votes allowed by tbe Act would persist in coming to the booth. The Act says as follows ;—“ Not more than six voters shall be allowed at the pulling booth at one and the same time. At half-past five o’clock between 30 and 40 persons came into the booth to vote. Tbe returning officer (Mr. Ames) . endeavored to keep them back, but * they would persist in coming in. Mr. Ames placed one of his clerks at the door to prevent more than a reasonable number coming in, but the crowd would persist in forcing their way through, and the returning officer then called upon Mr, Gallagher, who is a constable, to keep the crowd back, but he was unable to do £O. Ho, however, closed the door, which was subsequently forced open. The returning officer finding he could not preserve order adjourned the poll until the following day, under clause 89 of the Regulation of Local Flections Act, which runs as follows : —“lf the proceedings are interrupted or. obstructed at any polling booth by riot or violence, the returning officer may adjourn the polling at such booth until the following day.” The poll will be resumed at half-past five o’clock this afternoon, and will close at six. All the votes already polled will hold good. The ballot-box was sealed yesterday by tbe returning officer in the presence of the scrutineers.