ELECTION MEMS.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4043, 13 December 1881, Page 2

ELECTION MEMS.

Our Wellington correspondent sends the following respecting the elections in that district:—"The result of the elections in Wellington province is that Government have gained just the one additional seat given to Wellington by the Representation Act of last session. The two former City members, Mr Lerin and Mr Hutchison, one on each side are reelected, but the third seat goes to Mr C. Johnstoni brother of the PostmasterGeneral, North and South Wairarapa, Hutt, and Foxton (formerly 'Wellington County') again return Ministerialists, and so does Waifotara (formerly part of Wanganui), while Mr Watt, a Ministerialist, has gained the Wanganui seat from Mr Ballance. But against this must be set the loss of Eangitikei by Sir William Fox, whose successor is an "independent." However, his leanings are believed to be Ministerial, and as I hear Mr Buchanan, the new Wairarapa member, who was at first classed as independent, is also a safe Ministerialist, the net result is that Mr Hutchison, who is an ultra-Greyite, is the

only Opposition candidate returned in the whole province. He was looked on as certain to be. ousted, but his two op* ponents, Mr Coffey and Mr Edwards, foolishly treated the whole contest as lying between themselves, and utterly disregarded him, while he was working quietly, but very assiduously, and making great capital out of his loss of the mayoralty. It is reported that Mr Bal* lance's election was lost through the breaking down of a vehicle containing seven of his supporters, who were consequently too lata.