TRUST LANDS TRUST ELECTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3200, 28 May 1909, Page 5

TRUST LANDS TRUST ELECTION.

A LIGHT POLL. THE THREE RETIRING TRUSTEES RETURNED. The election of three representatives to the Masterton Trust Lands Trust was held yesterday. In spite of the very excellent weather conditions prevailing there was only a fair amount of interest manifested in the election. By 2.30 only 240 votes had been recorded at the Drill Hall, 28 at Kuripuni, 18 at the Upper Plain, and 12 at Lansdowne. The majority of the voters exercised the privileges late in the afternoon, but results showed that only a small proportion of those possessed of the franchise had not bothered to record their votes. The aggregate result was that the highest candidate only polled 502 votes out ot 2,968 on the roll. Last election there were seven candidates for three seats, and on that occasion 910 votes were polled. The exact number of votes recorded yesterday was k 726, less than one qusrter of those on the roll. The result of the poll was announced in record time (being shortly after half-past six) by the Returning Officer, Mr A. Hathaway. The return of the three retiring Trustees was not Altogether unexpected. Mr Eton's return at the head of the poll, beating Mr Danieil by soma 30 votes, came as a surprise, however, as it was generally thought that Mr Danieil would head the poll. Mr Wagg also polled well, and the fact that there were only 50 votes between the first and third candidates showed that the voting was fairly equally divided among the retiring Trustees. The defeated candidates put up a good fight, but there was a big gap between the third and fourth candidates. Mr Smith beat Mr Evans it the Drill Hall, and tied for second place with Mr Danieil at Kuripuni. Mr' Evans headed the poll on the Upper Plain, where he x-esides, and it was considered that bad he been better known in the town he would have made a good fight for a place. Mr A. Hathaway had all the arrangements complete for tiie poll, and deserves a special word of praise in connection therewith. He had an able body of assistants, and the' arrangements were such that the result of the poll was known ia record time.

Mr Eton, in returning thanka, apologised for being late. He said that he considered a great honour had been done to him by the voters in placing him on top of the poll. To beat two such veterans as Messrs Daniel! and Wagg was indeed something to be proud of. It was very satisfactory to him to know that his services were appreciated. He had always in the past given his views in a straightforward manner, and he would continue, so long as he had a seat on the Trust, to do his best without fear or favour. He had no axe to grind, and He trusted that his future conduct on the Trust would warrant the support accorded to him that day.

Mr Wagg, alter apologising for the absence of Mr Daniell, who was absent in' Wellington at the Wellington Harbour Board meeting, sincerely thanked the voters for returning him as a Trustee. He had always endeavoured to do his best in the interests of the Trust, and would continue to do so, so long as he was a member of that important budy. Mr Evans also briefly returned thanks, stating that he was not discouraged by the result of his first attempt, as he was a stranger practically to many of them.

The following is a detailed analysis of the voting Drill KuriFern- LansHall puni ridgedowneTl. E. G. Eton 402 52 23 25 502 C. E. Daniel) 377 40 36 19 472 T. Wagg 366 37 33 18 454 Eli Smith 180 40 9 10 239 H. Evans 156 21 4C 10 227 Informal 9