MATAURA ELECTION.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 227, 12 March 1866, Page 2

MATAURA ELECTION.

The nomination of Candidates for the District of Mataura, in the House of Representatives took place at the principal polling place at Harewood, on Saturday last. The Eeturning Officer having read the writ. Mr. Cuthbert Cowan proposed Mr. F. D. Bell, the late member for Wallace, as a fit and proper person to represent the District. Mr. William Johnston seconded the nomination. Mr. Andrew Blakie, then proposed Mr. J. M. M'Clure as a candidate, seconded by Mr. John Grieve. Mr. Bell then addressed the electors at some length, and touched upon the various topics on which he spoke at the Theatre, on Thursday last. (A full report of his speech on that occasion, will appear in a future issue.) Mr. Bell, in the course of his remarks made allusion to the circumstance, that on public questions there appeared little or no difference between himself and his opponent, and he therfore hoped Mr. M'Clure would not put the electors to the trouble of a contest. If he had chosen to desert Southland he might have been returned for other constituencies, but had preferred to seek the suffrages of those he had served so long. At the conclusion of Mr. Bell's address, Mr. M'Clure came forward and said that he was satisfied the views expressed by Mr. Bell were so much in accordance with his own, on the important public questions of the day, that he felt that he could do no other than retire. He trusted those friends who had promised him their support, would agree with him in this course. The Returning Officer then declared Mr. Bell to be duly elected. The announcement was received with great applause, and after the usual vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, the meeting separated.