MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

Southland Times, Issue 1614, 2 August 1872, Page 3

MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

The polling for four members of the j Town Council, and two auditors, took place at the Council Hall yesterday, Councillor Eoss acting as returning officer. The voting, being by ballot, was as usual very quietly conducted. A little interest in the proceedings appeared to be evinced towards afternoon, when the citizens in considerable numbers congregated in the neighborhood of the polling-place, discussing in more or less noisy groups the civic questions of the day. The polling was closed at four o'clock, and the result was announced at eight in the evening. The Council Hall , ■was crowded for some time before that hour. Precisely at eight o'clock, the returning officer took the chair, and after explaining that the delay which had taken place in announcing the result of { the polling arose from the large number of votes which had been recorded, and the numerous candidates both for the offices of councillors and auditors, proceeded to read the declaration of the- poll, as folio ws : — COTTKCrLLOBS. Thomas Pratt 145 "William Garth waite 145 "William Black wood ... ... 135 Henry Jaggers ... ... 134 John Henry Smith ... ... 89 William Pringle Porter ... 71 Henry Elias Osborne 43 .yjDrroEs. David Macrorie ... ... 132 David Flemington 97 George Trew 78 Thomas Perkins 63 Frederick Nutter 61 Messrs Pratt, Garthwaite, Blackwood, and Jaggers were accordingly declared duly elected councillors for the next two years, and Messrs Maerorie and Flemington auditors for the ensuing year. "Mr Garthwaite then addressed the j meeting, thanking those citizens present j who had voted for him for returning him again to the Council. He would do his best for their interests, and would always vote conscientiously according to his convictions, whether it pleased or whether it grieved those who might be associated ■with him. He would always make it his endeavor to maintain the law to the utmost df his power, and see that the funds in the control of the Council were '■?." appropriated as they ought to be. Mr Blackwood thanked the electors for returning him once more to this honorable post, as Councillor Blackwood. He considered that it showed they approved of the position he had taken. Four members had been returned, of ■whom three were against spending the reserve fund so freely as was proposed on the gardens, and one in favor of doing so. From these numbers he inferred that the popular feeling was on the side he had espoused. For the future he would continue to vote as he had done on this subject. Though the money might be a windfall, that was no reason ■why it should be thrown into a creek, and squandered away. "With regard to other matters, the question of drainage demanded consideration. He was not in favor of making streets in the swamp ; he would rather make roads to those houses already built, and which had been so long without them, and open up the other sections afterwards. The streets might be made with fascines and gravel, which would answer very well, broken metal being too expensive. He was not in favor of borrowing £10,000, as had been suggested, unless indeed for reproductive works. If for instance it were possible to get gravitation water introduced into the town he would be glad to borrow for that purpose, but not for making streets. Whatever measures might be proposed, be would always give them fair consideration, and do his best, as he always had done, for the interests of the town. Mr Jaggers said that though he was the lowest on the poll of those returned, he thanked those who had voted for him all the same. The election, he thought, had been unsatisfactory, as there had been no decided expression of popular opinion about the garden question. The old Council had been replaced, and matters would go on in tbe old way, four against four on this subject, which would be decided by the casting vote of the Mayor, j He feared that the way in which 'the gardens were being improved would end in entailing a burden on the town. | Twenty acres was too much for such a I purpose, and it was likely that an attempt ■would be made to make the whole block, and swamp the whole money. He disclaimed any intention of dealing unfairly with the fund, and defended the action of the Council in keeping the money in the general account, and in the reply made to the Superintendent's letter on the subject, which he said had been prompted by a member of the Council. He was ' rather disinclined to borrow money ; the burdens were heavy enough as they were. He did not think it would be judicious to divide the town into wards for the present, but had no strong opinion on the matter. In the performance of all his public duties he could only say that he would endeavor simply to do his best. .Mr Macrorie briefly thanked the burgesses present on behalf of the auditors. The returning officer then declared the meeting at a close, complimenting the citizens on the orderly manner in which the proceedings of the day had been conducted throughout.