TUAPEKA ELECTION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 281, 19 June 1873, Page 5

TUAPEKA ELECTION.

THE NOMINATION Tho nomination of members for election to represent the Tuapeka district in the Provincial Council, took place at the Courthouse, Lawrence, at noon on Saturday last. There was far more interest exhibited in the proceedings than we have seen at former nominations — principally owing, we believe, to the fact of Mr. Vincent Pyke being in the field as a candidate. At twelve o'clock isharp, Mr. Abel, the Returning Officer, opened the proceedings by stating the object in hand. He read the writ and advertisement, after which he asked if any gentleman had any candidate to propose. Mr. John Michael said 'he had much pleasure in proposing James Clark Brown as a fit and proper person to represent the district in the Provincial Council. Mr. Brown, he said, had been four times returned by the district as representative in the Provincial Council. He need not say that Mr. Brown \va3 well known in the district. A few persons he (Mr. Michael) remarked, who called themselves the " progressive party," objected to Mr. Brown. At the last election for the General Assembly, this so-called ''progressive party" brought forward a man from Dunedin — Mr. Cutten — in opposition to Mr, Brown. Ho would ask the electors, if they had returned that gentleman, would they now have had any prospect of a railway to Tuapeka? (Hear, hear.) Instead of being a progressive party, he would rather call them a backsliding party, (Hear, hear.) They were nothing

but a drag to the district. The only object of the party he referred to, he firmly believed, was to put Mr. Brown to expense. If they would go by the general voice of the electors, they had better leave the place. He had to apologise for Mr. Brown's absence, he having gone to Waipori Mr. Jonas Harrop seconded the nomination. Mr. P. Robertson, in proposing Mr. Horace Bastings as a fit and proper person to represent them, said he had looked ! upon it as a duty to make that proposition, and he had pleasure in performing it. He said it would be folly on his part to say much in favor of Ms candidate. Mr. Bastings'Jactions said far more than any words of his could in his favor. It would be a pity not to give him their support after all he had done for the district. Mr. Thomas Darton, in seconding Mr. Bastings's nomination, asked what the place would have been had that gentleman not come amongst them. When he came they were living in a city of tents, but now, in a great measure through his energy and enterprise, they had made rapid strides in civilisation. An idea had gone abroad that Mr. Bastings was certain to be returned, but it was unwise to be too confident, as the battle is not over till it is won. He hoped every elector would come to the poll and record a vote for Mr. Bastings. Mr. Richard Williams said he had much pleasure in proposing Mr. Vincent Pyke as a tit and proper person to represent the district in the Council. He was the only gentleman present amongst those nominated, and, as he was well able to speak for himself, he would not detain them. Mr. Samuel Hales felt much pleasuro in seconding Mr. Pyke's nomination. He believed that gentleman to be thoroughly capable of representing the district efficiently, and ho knew he had its best interests at heart. The Returning Officer then called upon the candidates to address the electors if they thought fit, Mr. Pyke, who was the only candidate present of the three nominated, said he was glad to congratulate the people of the goldfields in awaking from their state of political dormancy, which had been so prejudicial to their interest in the past. This was the first time in the history of Otago that such a lively interest had been taken in politics. He held that it was every man's business to interest himself in things political. In a young country like New Zealand, politics was a matter of L.S.D. ; and the man who sat at his fireside and took no interest in matters affecting the welfare of the country, was unworthy of holding the franchise. He looked upon the present crisis in Otago, as a turn in tho tide ; and he believed that in future far more interest would be evinced by the population. With reference to the present election, he remarked that an attempt had been made to degrade the contest into a personal fight. So far as he was concerned, he would not degrade himself to Buch a ; position ; but he declined to regard Lawrence as anybody's rotten burgh, and he could see no reason why another animal should not be added to the cage. He knew that no efforts had been spared to circulate false reports about him, but he had every confidence that falsehood would not prevail against truth. If they were in favor of measures not men, he would claim their votes. If in favor of measures and men, he had too much faith to believe they would" not return him. — ("Applause. ) A show of hands was then taken, which gave tho followiug result : — Bastings .... 25 I Pyko 20 Brown ----- 17 Mr. Michael demanded a poll on behalf of Mr. Brown. The Returning Officer then announced that the poll would take place on Tuesday, j between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.