THE ELECTIONS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1641, 1 October 1887, Page 2

THE ELECTIONS.

At the official declaration o£ the

poll at the Peninsular, the Minister for Mines, the Hon. Mr Larnach, said the Government would insist on a policy of retrenchment and on a system of taxation whereby the burden would be thrown on the shoulders moat able to bear it. If, as some of the elections seemed to show, people were not satisfied with the present Government, he felt sorry for the Government that would come after it. —Mr Begg, who was also received with loud cheering, thanked those who had worked hard for him during the election. He had fought on the principle of a gentleman meeting another gentleman, but he regretted to say that after the declaration of the poll, when he offered to shake hands with his opponent, Mr Larnach refused to do so.— Mr Larnach said he declined to shake hands with Mr Begg, because he declined to shake hands with a liar. (Applause and uproar.) Mr Begg was a liar inasmuch as he had uttered false statements knowing them to be untrue.—Mr Begg in reply said that bis character was before the electors, who knew him well. An unusual scene occurred at the declaration of the poll at Invercargill. Mr Hatch, one of the defeated candidates, said the fight should have been between Mr Peldwick and himself, and that gentleman might have another opportunity of trying such a contest in about six weeks’ time. He

challenged the Returning Officer, and in doing so would look him straight in the lace, to say that the election had been conducted fairly and squarely. ) He asserted, and could prove, that during the absence of the Returning Officer from the main polling booth his clerks distributed to electors papers which had been duly marked, folded, and put into the ballot box. In one instance, at least, voters had been told which of the names to scratch out. He distinctly stated that the Returning Officer was no more fit for the position he occupied than the dog in the street. (Groans, hisses, and general uproar.) He could prove what he said was true, and he further asserted that his oponents had brought out a fourth man because they were afraid he would beat the other three. If any single individual stood against him he would give that individual the biggest thrashing he ever got in his life.—Mr Feldwick, in seconding the vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, referred ia complimentary to the excellent arrangement made in connection with the voting at the main polling booth. —The Returning Officer explained that he had to leave the booth for two or three minutes, and during his absence his assistant gave out one or two voting papers. Whether ihat would invalidate the election would be a question for en* quiry. , A scrutiny of Ihe voting papers has resulted in the displacement of Captain McKenzie, who was thought to he elected for the Waikaia seat, and the election of Mr Valentine, who has an advantage of one vote. Two of Captain McKenzie’s supporters-yi voted twice. '

Ho fewer than 20 members who were in the last Parliament failed to secure re-election. They are as follows Sir B. Stout, Hon. W. Bolleaton, Hon. J. Bryce, Hon. J. A. Tole, Colonel Trimble, and Messrs P. J. Garrick, D. Eeese, H. All wright, D. Eeid, J. Hatch, J. 0. Buckland, Hirst, J. W. Thomson, J. Gore, B. Hursthouse, J. Bevan, P. H. Praser, J. Ive’a, T. Thompson, Dargaville. The following persons, who failed to poll 10 per cent, of the total number of votes recorded by the successful

candidate, forfeit their deposit of £loßangitata, W. Palmer, polled 14 votes; Waimate, 0. V. Clarke, 38; Waitotara, J. Morgan, 31; Linwood, J. Patridge, 15; Gladstone, F. Pranks, 16; Wellington East, Carter, 57; Wallace, T. Daniel, 40; Waipa, A. Campbell, 41; Waipawa, Lascelles, 40.— Exchange.