THE ELECTION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1308, 16 June 1880, Page 2

THE ELECTION.

The election of a member of the HouseW Representatives has been the engrossing question to-day, and it is scarcely too much to say that business was almost entirely suspended. From the hour of opening the poll (9 o'clock), cabs have been flying hither and thither, bringing voters to the polling place, where indefatigable committeemen had cast off all care of business, and for the time entered fully into the excitement attendant upon a contested election. Every passer-by was button-holed and taken off to the polling bootb, and every effort was made to bring every qualified elector up to "the scratch." At mid-day, when the working-men were on their way home to dinner, the scene near the Courthouse was animated indeed, and every device was resorted to catch the unwary. As the afternoon wore on, the excitement became great, and from that time it intensified, arriving at the climax as the hour for closing the poll approached. Then vigorous \ efforts were made to bring up those who j were known not to have voted. It is, of: course, impossible to give any idea of the ! general result of the poll, though we have j little doubt that the town will give Mr. Jones a considerable majority. The result; is not likely to be known until a very late I hour to-night. We are, therefore, unable to = give the result in this issue, but will publish j an Extra, giving all the returns to hand, s as early as possible. j Exciting and keen as the contest un-! doubtedly has been, we are pleased that only' one case of a breach of the peace came under our notice, and that, we are sorry to say,! partook somewhat of the nature of a free fight. There was plenty of banter, and a good share- of harmless fun, but with the exception of the case mentioned, nothing like ill temper or bad feeling was displayed. Some peculiar sights were presented, not the least of which was the decoration of the tall hat worn by a driver of a cab with the words j "Vote for Jones," but, perhaps, the most noticeable of all the peculiar sights was that of a retriever dog, almost enveloped in a poster bearing a similar reminder to electors, running through the streets. After the above was in type, several ■ farther exhibitions of rowdyism took place, ;