SWITZERS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 159, 23 February 1871, Page 6

SWITZERS.

(From a Correspondent.)

The "Waikaia election, I daresay, has been one of the most exciting struggles that has taken place during this election of the General Assembly, and the effect of it will be felt for some time to come. Class-feeling has run so high, that it will affect very materially the position of Mr. Reid for the Superintendency at Switzers. Although the views of the two candidates were the same in many respects, yet the mining population here cannot forget the duplicity of Mr. Bradshaw in the past ; and they have a shrewd suspicion that if £ s. d. be in the way, he will act the same part in the future. But that which gave force to the opposition to his return, was the fact that the squatters, who are qppqsed to every scheme that has for its object the settlement of the people on the lands, were giving him their support. On the one side we had the squatters, publicans, storekeepers, and their several needy missions, and also on the same side was arrayed the forces of the kirk. On the other side, for Mr. Dean, there were the miners, who were true to their first intentions, aud those of them that could be got together through the rain, worked hard to secure their representatives. Early in the morning of the polling day the rain commenced, and it rained incessantly nearly all the time the poll was being taken, and as it is difficult to bring the electors up in bad weather — to vote, the gullies being so widely apart and at such a distance from the polling place — on this account Mr. Dean lost scores of votes of persons who had pledged themselves. At the Whitecombe, where there are a large number of votes that would have been given to Mr. Dean, not one of these could get to record their votes on account of the snow falling on the ranges ; and the scrutineer that went to Potters, gully in the interest of Mr. Dean, was not allowed to act, because he was not there when the polling commenced. It is evident, from the result at that place, that the DeputyReturning Officer and scrutineer were on the side of Mr. Bradshaw, and when there is a doubt, the benefit of it, under such circumstances, is given to the si4e they favour ; and the same

may be said of the Nevis. The polling foreach,as far as I know, stands thus : —

These returns are from the Switzers side of the range, those from the Teviot side you probably know better thau I do.

There is an objection against the election lodged with the Returning Officer by Mr. Dean, and also by Mr. Gwynne, on account of tie poll having been taken at Mr. Scully's licensed public house, at the Nevis.

During the time of the election at Switzers, the Warden's Court was open for the transaction of business, and caused no little confusion, as the poll clerk was also performing his duties as clerk of the Court, which afforded an opportunity for any, whose conscience was not over scrupulous, to commit, what would appear to some persons, very much like perjury. One person came to vote who had left his miner's right at home, and who might have exercised his right if he had made a declaration that he had lost it, but I dare say he felt that his piety already was not over and above, so that be could not afford to part with any of it. Another came that had left his business license at borne, and he was informed that as his license was at home he could not have any other right given to him ; he lived a distance of six miles away, and it was about halfpast three — what was to be done? He went out and in about ten minutes came back again with a full blown deacon, who had any amount of piety, and could thus afford to part with a little of it, he wrote out an affidavit thit the man had lost it — it was duly signed and witnessed, and the man exercised his right. For a common mind there does appear to be something very much like perjury.

After the poll was closed, the people was rather startled by a crowd of men coming up the street carrying a large figure on a stretcher, it had two masks on, back and front, it was dressed in black clothes and a black bell-topper ; on the back and front of the figure there was " x\jax " in large letters, and when the crowd was tired, they hung it up under Sbene's large flums; later on, it was burned.

John Murray, one of Skene's shopmen, is in custody, for taking certain drapery goods and money belonging to Mr. Skene — the case remanded.

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