THE INVERCARGILL ELECTIONS.

Southland Times, Issue 714, 23 August 1867, Page 2

THE INVERCARGILL ELECTIONS.

The elections for the town came off in due oourie yesterday. Notwithstanding the extreme-; ly boisterous state of the weather the streets were thronged throughout the day by eager electors and others, anxiously making mutual enquiries as to the state of the poll, and canvassing the probabilities of Buccess of the various candidates. As four o'clock drew on the excitement became iutense, and befpro the hour of closing, a large crowd had assembled in front of the hustings. After a delay of fully half an hour— which was borne by the assembly with great equanimity,; seeing they were all the while exposed to the full fury of the pelting hail — the Eeturning Officer ascended the platform ; his appearance was the singal for an outburst of cheera, and then "expectation- held its "breath." After stating that, in consequence of the confusion unavoidable, at the close of the poll in an election bo keenly contested, the numbers might not be absolutelycorrect, but were as near as he could give them r Mr Hare declared the result to be as follow i : — : MrW. HTCalder 130 „ John Ross ... 121 i „H. Armstrong ... ... 11© : „ Q-. Lumsden US j „ T. M. Macdonald__ ..... 113 „_ : Dr Menzies ... .... ... 106 ■. ; ■■= Mr T: Pratt ... ... ... 88- ,; ■ „W. Wood ... ... ... 69 i Each annonncement was received with cheers, : as were also the candidates on their stepping ] forward, in the order in which they appear, to . make their acknowledgements to their supporters. Neither of them indulged in anything which could be called a speech, but wisely — considering , the storm — confined themselves to.-, return- ■ ing their thanks to the electors in as; few words as possible. Of .course the absen- ; tees:— (Dr Menzies and Mr Wood) were, precluded from addressing the people ; neither did j their nominators put in an appearance, on their: behalf. The usual vote of thanks to the ißeturn-; ing Officer terminated the proceedings.— The Poll will be officially declared on Monday, at noon. . .