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Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 330, 18 December 1860, Page 2

The nomination of members as candidates for the representation of the city of Nelson in the General Assembly took place at the Court House yesterday. The attendance was not so numerous as would have been the case if the weather had been more propitious; as it was, nothing but the total inadequacy of the Court House to contain the assembly, even in its curtailed proportions, would have led candidates, proposers, seconders, and listeners to brave the pelting of the rain around the unsheltered hustings outside as long as they did. Certainly no amount of patience so displayed on all hands was commensurately rewarded; for if the advocates of the 'Contingent' believed that one modicum of credence to their very lame stories followed—if speakers generally expected any degree of enthusiasm from the assemblage—if that assemblage fondly hoped to at last hear a fair exposition of the conduct of our representatives through the most important periods of their late sittings, they would have been most grievously disappointed. No pleasing hope impended in the future, no explanation on the past; but the whole business of political existence during the past session and views for the succeeding one seemed to have degenerated into a Fox Hunt. Sly dogs were not wanting to try to hunt him down; whippersin were also painfully solicitous to prove the nature of the animal; and the principal huntsmen were highly communicative upon Reynard's habits : but somehow he was entrenched too safely for all their efforts to make much impression—as indeed why should they ? We listened to speaker after speaker, and (with but slight exceptions) this was the unvarying game—Fox paramount; Nelson nowhere! We looked up once or twice, expecting to see Te Aro flat in close proximity and Mount Victoria standing out in bold relief against the Wellington skies, that these orators transplanted us to in the eager pursuit of their game. It could not be called a nomination at Nelson to a Nelson constituency. — It was not an exposition of Nelson politics to Nelson citizens —it was for the most part a Wellington hustings emanation without any of the.?smart cleverness mostly expressed there on such matters; it was for the most part a labored, uninteresting, unintelligible attempt to bolster up the •* Nelson contingent' once more to the point which should give them another chance of place and platitudes; it was slightly varied as far as that particular meeting was concerned with «war' details, but not varied by j any means, when we remember the late meetings that have taken place-,'and what has been said at them. The number of unfortunate bills that the votes of our late members were thrown away upon in their ' undeviating fidelity ' | to ministers were scarcely touched upon exexce.pt by new candidates; nothing was i atempted to be explained except how so many years ago we were indebted to so and so for getting such a land fund, or to such-a-one for saving us so much. Things that the newspaper leaders teemed with in days long gone by, or matters that politicians at the present moment may well sink as things of the past in their endeavors for the requirements of the future. Whether Mr. Pox or Mr. Anybody else is the embodiment of political acumen and strategy for his 'province has nothing to do with this constituency, and is a very shallow blind with which to occupy attention while the past conduct of our late members is unexplained except in most general and indistinct terms. We have only time to insert this brief notice of the day's proceedings in the present number, and the particulars of the show of hands, the numbers as declared by the Returning'Officer;"being1 very close, namely, Stafford 61, Robinson 59, Domett 58. Mr. Curtis demanded a poll on the part of Mr. Domett. The proceedings and speeches will be reported in our next issue. We quote the following from Acts of the

General Assembly, for the benefit of those whom it is likely "to concern■..:.— XV. Mode of Conducting Elections.—On th* day of election the voting at each polling place shah bo conducted in manner following:-— - ' ■ 1, Every elector may vote for any nnmber of candi- ; dates not exceeding the number of members then to be j chosen. , ' 2.. When any elector tenders his vote the Deputy Returning Officer or Poll Clerk,}to whom the same is tendered, shall state explicitly in alphabetical order the names of the several candidates, and shall then inquire of. the elector for which of the said candidates he intends to vote. • 3. On such candidate or candidates being named by the elector the Deputy Returning Officer or. Poll Clerk shall enter the vote accordingly in a poll book to be kept for that purpose, and the elector shall affix bis. signature to the entry: provided always, that when the elector affixes his mark, it shall be witnessed by the Returning Officer, Deputy Returning Officer or Poll Clerk. 4. It shall be lawful for the elector at any time before he has affixed his signature as aforesaid, to have the entry of the names of the candidate for whom he desires to record his vote altered, but no alteration shall be mads after the entry is signed. 5. As soon as the elector has signed the entry he shall immediately leave the polling booth, and on his refusal to do so, shall be forthwith removed by order of the Returning Officer or Deputy Returning Officer. I. Bribery defined. —The following persons shall be deemed guilty of bribery and shall be punishable accordingly :— 1. Every person who shall directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, give, lend, or agree to give or lend, or shall offer, promise, or promise to procure, or to endeavor to procure, any money, or valuable consideration to or for any elector, or to or for any person ori behalf of any elector, to or for any other person in order to induce any elector to vote or refrain from voting, or shall corruptly do any such act as aforesaid, on account of such elector haying voted or refrained from voting at any election. '*; 2. Every person who shall directly or; indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, give or procure, or. agree to give or procure, or offer, promise, or promise to procure, or to endeavor to procure, any office or place of employment to or for any elector, or to or for any person on behalf of any elector, or to or for any other person in order to induce such elector to vote or refrain from voting, or shall corruptly do any such act as aforesaid, on acconnt of any elector having voted or refrained from voting at such election. 3. Every person who shall directly or indirectly by himselforbyany other person on his behalf, make any such gift, loan," offer, promise,' procurement, or agreement as aforesaid, to or for any person in order to induce such person to procure, or endeavor to procure the return of any person to serve in the General Assembly, or the vote of an elector at any election. 4. Every person who shall upon or in consequence of any such gift, loan, offer, promise, procurement, or agreement, procure, or engage, promise, or endeavor to procure the retuvn of any person to serve in the General Assembly, or the vote of any elector at any election. 5. Every person who shall advance or pay, or ciuse to be paid any money to or to the use of any other persons with the intent that such money or atiy part thereof, shall be expended in bribery at any election, or who shall knowingly pay or cause to be paid, any money to any person in discharge or repayment of any money wholly or in part expended in bribery at any election. And any person so offending shall be guilty, of a misdemeanour, punishable by fine and imprisonment, and shall also be liable to forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds, to any person who shall sue for the same, together with full costs of suit. 11. Bribery further defined —The following persons shall also be deemed guilty of bribery, and shall be punishable accordingly. 1. Every elector who shall before or during any election, directly or indirectly, by himself, or by,any other person on bis behalf, receive, agree or contract for any money, gift, loan or valuable consideration, office, place of employment for himself or for any other person for voting or agreeing to vote, or for refraining or agreeing to refrain from voting at any election. 2. Every person who shall after any election, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, receive any money or valuable consideration on account of any person having refrained from voting, or having induced any other person to vote or refrain from voting at an election. :, And any person so offending, stall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment, and shall also be liable to forfeit the sum of ten pounds, to any person who. shall sue for the same, together with full coats of suit. 111. Treating defined.—Every candidate at any election who Bhall corruptly, by himself, or by or with any person, or by any other ways or means on his behalf, at any time, either before, during, or after any election, directly or indirectly, give or provide, or cause to be given or provided, or shall be accessory to the giving or providing, or shall pay wholly or in part any expenses incnrred for any meat, drink, entertainment or provision to or for any person in order to be elected, or being elected, or for the purpose of corruptly influencing such person, or any other person to give or refrain from giving his vote at such election, or on account of such person having voted or refrained from voting, or being about to vote or refrain from voting at such election, shall be deemed guilty of the offence-entreating, and shall forfeit the sum of fifty pounds to any person who shall sue for the same, with full costs of-suit: and every elector who shali corruptly accept or take any such meat, drink, entertainment, or provision, shall be incapable of voting at such election, and his vote if given shall be utterly void and of none effect. ■- IV. Undue Influence defined.— .Every person who shall directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, make use of, or threaten to make use of any force, violence, or restraint, or inflict, or threaten the infliction by himself, or by or through any other person, of any injury, damage or loss, or in any other manner practise intimidation, upon or against any person, in order to induce or compel such person to vote or refrain from voting, or on account of such person having voted or refrained from voting at any election, or who by abduction, duress, or any fraudulent device or contrivance, impede, prevent, or otherwise interfere with the free exercise of the franchise of any elector, or shall thereby compel, induce, or prevail upon any eleotor either to give or to refrain from giving his vote at any election, shall be deemed to have committed. the offence of undue influence, and shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, • punishable by fine and imprisonment, and shall also be liable to forfeit the sum of fifty pounds to any person who shall sue for the same, together with costs of suit. I VI. Persons giving refreshment on day of polling on account ot vote to forfeit 40s.—Every person who shall give, or cause to be given, to any elector on the dajr of polling, on account of such elector having polled or being about to poll, any meat, drink, or entertainment, by way of refreshment, or any money or ticket to enable such elector to obtain refreshment, shall be deemed to have committed an illegal act, and shall forfeit the .sum of forty shillings for each offence, to any person who shall sue for the same, with full costs of suit. ■VIII. Committee for promoting return of Candidates not to sit at Licensed Public House.—No Committee, or I other body organised for promoting the return of any candidate at any election, shall sit or hold meetings at any licensed public-house, or any building thereto annexed or belonging, and every person being a member of any such Committee or organised body who shall attend any snch meetings at any such pnblio- house or building shall forfeit the sum of five pounds to any person who shall sue for the same, together with full costs of suit.