THE OTAKI SEAT.

Otaki Mail, 19 December 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI SEAT.

MR FIELD RE-ELECTED BY BIG MAJORITY. Polling was steady on Wcdnesday throughout tie electorate. Keen interest was evinced in the election., although thro was an absence of great excitement, end the crowds were excellently behaved. Motors plied to and from the various polling booths all day, and the day being a glorious one the polling was heavy. Soon after the polls closed nt 6 p.m. a crowd gathered at the ‘‘Otaki Mail” buildings, where arrangements had been mado to display the results. The crowd behaved excellently, and there was no rowdyism. The first return to come to hand was from Waihoanga, at . about 6.25 p.m., followed quickly by Munakau. Otaki results were not available until 7.15, by which time the crowd was getting anxious for news, but other figures came to hand quickly. Practically every return added many to to Mr Field's majority, and it was seen from the outset that he would be an easy winner. Levin's totals were displayed at 7.30. A few returns from small booths were considerably delayed in arrival, but once tho crowd was satisfied that the result was assured it clamoured f#r the results from other electorates. Following are details of the voting for tho Otaki contest:— ® 9

1 Minority for Field ... ... 1183 CANDIDATES’ SPEECHES. Mr Macdonald. Mr E. Macdonald was the first candidate to apeak at Otaki. Mounting tins platform at the “Otaki Mail" office. Mr Macdonald addressed a very largo crowd. Ho said lie wished to heartily thank all who had supported him. Tin's was his first try for Parliamentary honours, and would probably be !*h la.-t. (Cries of No, no!) He said he thought he ought to thank them for not electing him, for he would be much happier out of the House. He would now be able to go home and attend to his private affairs, and sleep well, while, had he been elected, he would have been very much worried with the burdens of office. However. Mr Macdonald said, he bad no regrets. Tho electors had put another man in tho House, and he hoped he would serve them well. At .the call of a. prominent “Piejdito” hearty cheers were given for Mr Macdonald, whose remarks were most (heartily applauded. Me Pteia. I

It was after II o'clock when Hr j Field reached Otaki. On mounting the ■ platform et the “Mail” ofiice, Mr Field was greeted with round after round of applause from a big crowd. Mr Field said he was, of course, delighted at the magnificent majority, the c-lectors had given him, and more particularly at the fact that the returns to hand chawed that the moderates had achieved a great victory over the extremists. He hoped *hat now the thin of State would be in calm waters, and that much useful legislation would be enacted for the betterment of the country. The candidate expressed hie 1 deep appreciation of the splendid vote given him by the Otaki people, and was also delighted that in Ms own centre (Waikanae) he had such a large majority. Mr Field said he very much regretted £he unpleasantness that had been brought into the election daring the past few days, but he hoped that tMs world all be forgotten, and that all would be friends. After most heartily thanking his supporters, Mr Field

concluded by calling for cheers for hie opponents. These were given with great gusto, with added cheers for Mr Field, who received many flattering interjejtiocr during his brief speech. NOTES. It wiii he seen by the above details of voting that Mr Field secured majorities at nearly every polling booth. Mr | McKenzie’s only big majority wap at j I Porirna, where he polled 134 votes to 1 Mr Field'a 73, At Titahi Bay • Mr Field was “.the only pebble on the | beach,” he securing the whole of the j 14- votes registered, while at .Summit j ( the position was reversed, Mr Me- j, Kauzie receiving li votes while his , opponents failed to score,

Mr Macdonald topped the poll at only one centre (Haywards), where he received 13 votes to Mr Field’s 6, the other candidates getting no suunort.

Levin was the principal polling booth for the election. Mr Percy (portmaster) acting as returning o£ :sx.

The results were much later than usual in being made known, probably duo to j the change of officers in a great many I places, and the fact that the returning i officer had only recently been initiated [ into his office.

' At Levin the polling was very heavy, ! 110 less than 1330 votes being east for the Parliamentary candidates, as against 116 Sat tho 1914 election! In Otaki 099 votes wero cast on Wednesday, against 559 in 1914.

At the 1914 election, Mr Field secured a majority over Mr Robertson of 60S. His majority on Wednesday was 11 S 3.

A very large number of informal votes were recorded on Wednesday—no less than 125 for candidates and 41 for tho licensing poll. At Urpor Hutt no less than 30 votes wero classed as informal, and at Levin 23. We understand,that a number of voters had left two names uncancelled, evidently having had drilled into them the instructions to strike out two lines on the licensing ballot papers, and getting mixed with tho candidates’ papers. Tho Upper Hutt also headed the list, of informal votes on the licensing issue, with 12.

<3 S5 fa NJ O © a O Q |5 cd 3 © <1 3 a a & S3 s X Otflki ... 319 85 139 57 Manakau ... 14G 14 24 5 Waihoanga ... 19 0 4 6 Paraparaumu ... 119 . 7 GG 5 Okau ... 129 1G 19 I Koputaroa ... 44 7 39 1 To Horo ... 100 33 27 „ 8 Levin ... 75? 90 454 29 Wallacevillo ... 49 4 1 Upper Hutt ... 2G7 44 224 37 Belmont ... 45 4 11 3 Plimmorton ... 57 8 41 0 To Marua ... 23 1 2 3 Ihakara ... 55 8 13 1 Pahautanui ... 72 1 112 8 Porirua ... 78 3 13-1 G Waikanao ... 93 4 42 4 Kikiorangi ... 53 11 9 1 Paekakariki ... 74 19 91 2 J udgford ... 27 2 3 3 Hawtroy ... 35 9 78 2 Norcuamklo 8 2 22 Paromata ... 11 4 18 1 Pukerua G 9 Summit ... — 14 Tawa Flat ... 3G 2 23 1 Karanoti (Akatarawa) 20 8 10 1 Uhartu ... 29 — 3 — Titahi Bay ... 14 — — Akatarawa Rcmd ... 10 2 4 3 Kaitoko ... 20 — 11 ;5 Haywards G 18 — Takapu 7 — — — Totals 2737 369 1551 190