PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 65, 30 August 1884, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION.

The election of a member to represent the Te Aroha Ridiug in Pinko Comity Council took place on Monday last. There was but one polling 1 booth, viz., that at Te Aroha Court-house, presided over by the Returning Officer, Mr John Hunt. The hours for polling were fixed at from 9 a.m. to 6p m. The following acted as scrutineers : — On behalf of Mr U. Muiphy : Mr Quinn ; for Mr E. K. Cooper : Mr Ahier ; and for Mr VV. A. Murray, Mr Young. Very early in the day the question was raised as, to whether the holder aof miners* rights could vote if his name was not on the roll of electors. The Returning Officer ruled at the commencement that only those whose names Were to be found on tire? roll vi

elcctbj&providjri for t!.e occasion would ne allied to vote. Several of those who td'(i!4a different view of fie matter nought, to^pj-pve to Mr Hunt that he was wrong, and that under certain clangs in the amendment of the Counties Act of 7(5, holders of miners' rights, provided i-hey were not aliens, had a right to vote on suo.i an occasion as this, whether their u iim'.s were on t.ie r»U or not. T.ie Returning O.ii-rr, however, ad!»ored to nis first decision to the chagrin of a •,reat many who had exported to bb dlowed to record their votes. Nothing >f Sji cia! interest oerurred during day. V Few placards, «' \V:«o reduced t!ie wnges hnt not tin* mis'iing? vote Tor C loper," wen* to be seen al>out. and here an 1 there a e.iricatuiv. u\ som $ of thu-i« taking a prominent part in the election. IWards 0 o'clock, however, th j crow I round tiie Cou t-hnusi* beg.vi to thicken, and steadily increased up to too announcement oF tie Uet<. ruing Officer * f it a >out (i.4-0 this geutlem in appeare 1 and proclaimed t le result of the election to he as follows : Cooper, 01 votes J Alnrphy, 63 ; Murray, 13 ; informal. ;), anl declared i\lr Cooj>i»i to he therefore inly elected to the vacant sett. Tne icsulf was greeted with lon I ch^M-s, wuicii were ot't repeated, and Air Cooper was ai once mzed and I'orne aloft on the shonl lers of some of his Mipporters trom which elevated, but rather nnco nfortahle position, he found it impns«ui-le to address those assembled, beyond thanking the electors For the honour they iiad done him by returning him as (heir representative tuatday, and stating that !»•> would try and do his duty by doing his best for the whole district generally. The. supporters of Mr Murp iy have lodged an objection to the result of the election on the grounds that all hollers of miners' rights should have been allowed to vote. We are glad to state that the utmost good humour prevailed throughout, and no disturbance of any kind took place. The absence of any excessive drinking was also very apparent.