THE POLLING DAY.

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

THE POLLING DAY.

Tuesday, tho polling day, which had been looked forward to with a considerable degree of interest on account of the uncertainty which 'seemed to hansj around the election at last arrived. Early in the morning all the vehicles procurable in tho district, including coaches, buggies, cabs, express waggons, and spring carts, decorated respectively with postern, bearing the following in bold characters : — "Vote for Brown, the People's Candidate and Miners' Friend." "Vote for Bastings and Justice to the Goldfields." " Vote for Vincent Pyke the Progressive Candidate." The contest, according to common talk, was understood to be betvf eon Mr. Bxown and Mr. Pyke, it being taken for granted that Mr. Basting's return was certain. However, Mr. Basting's friends did not feel satisfied with this feeling of confidence on the part of many of the olector9, and wisely advised them, on going to the poll, to be sure and divide their votes. Had they not done so, we feel certain Mr. j Brown would have received many more plumpers than he did. Between the hours of 3 and 5 o'clock the excitement in j Peel-street and the neighborhood was intense, such as has never before been witnessed at any election in Tuapeka. Tho three candidates (especially Mr. Pyke) had each excellent committees, and they spared no expense and labor to return the men according to their heart. Shortly after four o'clock, a large crowd assembled in front of the Court House, where for upwards of half an hour the fun usual ou these occasions was kept up in real good style. During this time, and before the Lawrence poll was declared, a messenger from Wetherstonea announced the result of the polling there as Bastings 66 Brown ----- 55 Pyke 14 which was recoived with great cheering by the friends of Mr. Bastings and Mr. Brown, A few minutes afterwards, a messenger from the Blue Spur announced the result there as Bastings - - ... 82 Brown ----- 78 Pyko 28 This left Pyke 91 behind Brown, whose friends were now confident that he could not be buaten, unless they had woefully nusualoulated^their strength in Lawrence. Mr. Pylio's friends, however, appeared still jubilant ; .but their glee received a fatal blow when the Court , House doors were opened and the Returning Officer

announced the following as the result of the Lawrence polling : — Bastings - - - - 196 Brown .... je7 pp yy k <> 117 Thus sending Brown 141 a-head of Pyke. The announcement was received with vociferoms cheering for the successful candidates. There still lingered in the bosom of Mr. Pyke'ssupporters,ahope that Waipori and the Beaumont would reverse the result, although it could not possibly be other than it proved to be — a forlorn hope. The Beuamont return showed as follows : — Bastings 26 p yke 14 Brown - g And the Waipori, which arrived about 8 o'clock, was Brown ----- 65 Bastings - - - - 62 Pyke 55 One feature in this election is worthy of attention : viz., the fact that several persons, holders of miners' rights, came from Switzers and voted at the Beaumont ; and a considerable number from Waitahuna, at least 35, voted at Lawrence, also on the ground of their miner*' rights. A good proportion of the latter, we are Informed, having voted at Waitahnna on tho day previous from the qualification they had by their names being on the electoral roll. This it can easily be soen, is nothing but an election dodge, and we simply draw attention to it, as showing the stratagems adopted on these occasions, and the way the law m*y be evaded. The following analysis of the voting in Lawrence may prove interesting to some. There *rere plumpers a3 follows :—Bastings, 20 ; Brown, 37; Pyke, 61. Divided votes for Bastings and Brown, 125 ; do. for Bastings and Pyke, 61; *nd for Brown and Pyke, 5. The analysis of the votes at Waipori shows thus: — Plumpers, Brown, 27' Bastingß, 5; Pyke, 19. Divided for Bastings and Brown, 30 : for Brown and Pyke, 8 ; Bastings and Pyke. 2a The complete returns from the various booths aro as follows :: — ■

Tn the evening, in repfy to the demands of the crowd in Peel-street for Bastings and Brown, both gentlemen addressed °a few words from the balcony of the Commercial Hotel, and expressed their thanks to the electors for again placing them in the proud position of their representatives. At least 150 more votes ware recorded at this election than at the-former on© in 1871.

Jawrence - *Vetherstonea Blue Spur Beaumont kVaipori - 1 Bastings. 196 66 82 26 62 Brown. ier 55 78 8 65 nr 14 28 14 55 432 373 228