THE WAITAKI ELECTION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1054, 5 September 1879, Page 2

THE WAITAKI ELECTION.

To-day, the day appointed for the electors to say who shall represent the district of Waitaki in the House of Representatives, has been characterised by a greater amount of political enthusiasm than we gave the electors credit for. At an early hour this morning the town was surging with political activity. Cabs were already being driven with unusual speed, and many a free and independent rode in a pretentious vehicle behind prancing steeds for the first time in his life. But no candidate solicited a vote ! That was done, greatly to his annoyance, by his committeemen, who were as übiqitous as one of the. candidates himself. We could not help thinking that this gentleman must have by his persistency proved a thorn in the flesh of honorable members in Wellington when desiring to gain a point. Numerous were the reasons given for supporting candidates. One voter was heard to say that he would support a certain candidate because he believed that he would be conferring a benefit upon the public by doing that which might result in ridding the town of an awkward "member" for even a few months during the year. It is strange that emblems of conflicting interests were paraded in the interests of the same candidate. A brewer's cart bore nothing but the sign, if we except tlie driver and the free and independents that were favored with a ride. The line must be drawn somewhere. There was no harm in sparing electors the fatigue of walking to the polling booth, but it would have been nothing short of shocking—in fact, bribery and corruption —to have left a barrel of beer in the cart overnight to supply voters with a counter-irritant. The free and independents were therefore reduced to the necessity of seeking consolation in the remembrance of the superior quadruple X, whose places they were for a short while permitted to enjoy, out of sight of even the insignia of the firm, which was on the wrong side of the cart to be read by its cargo. The cc aflicting emblem was a water cart, containing a barrel within which it is said there was water. If so, may it not be possible, if the candidate in whose interest this cart was plying should be elected, to upset his election on the score of bribery? Taken altogether today's proceedings were conducted with t he greatest amount of decorum and good humour, each partizan being confident of returning his man, or men.