THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 3067, 29 November 1888, Page 2

THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Considerable party interest was taken in the election yesterday, both Bides being iu form. Tim backers of the " man in officp 1 ! were the firsts injthe field. By nine o'clock in. the lorenoon tlicy had three teams flying around in search of favorable voters, .whilst groups of volunteers > assembled at. street corners, and used; what influence they possessed to iudnce people to vote " straight." At noon only some thirty or forty -.''votes' had been recorded, and it was thought that not so great,-a number ; of voters would i attend tiio poll as on the 'preceding | yer.r. Tho Feist party, however, showed up in force about twelvo o'clock, and had a number of vehicles out. Both parties then begun, to work in earliest, and the Bcturning Officer was kept fully occupied until .the close of the pull.' A howling dust storm guvo the lkiallites an opportunity, which wus eagerly seized upon bv the U.O.M, " Lift up your.heails, 0 ye gates'!" he shouted, and a special messenger on a fleet Arab sped away to the head of the mill-stream, opened tlie flood gates,and let the watersrush into the chaunel leading, to the town. It crept along very slowly aiid; before it reached the' Post Office the footpath between that point and the 'railway ) line was in'tuany' parts flooded. The larrikins yelled with delight 'ar they saw the G.O.M.'s smart trick to influence votes, and. right well they supported his movement, " Look : at that now," said peeping.Tom,' "Could you wish,for a'better trout stream, vote for the old man and he'll stock it With fish for you, and give you leave to catch all you can without a liconse," !'lf he'd send a stream of beer down on the,Bame terms, it would be more in toy line," 'said a champion : soaker,; "I don't believe in the water ou're so shan't vote, as both sides aro T.T.'s" • Although, the >: fun ■ ran pretty high there.'was-, really 'no absolute, Irovvdyistti; ..The:' lamkins were in doubt: evidently, and were holding offuntil, the result was knoyn. The doors of the polling booth closed at six o'olock and a great many went away intending to return in time to. hear the .result, but in' this many ;were disappointed, as the counting of: the votes- was completed in about ten minutes time, and tlif speedyappearance of the. Returning Officer, Mr R, Brown, somewhat astonished tlie]'scbre or so of people who were standing around. A shout went up as soon. as those in tho immediate vicinity heard the result and those who wore within cooey rushed to the front. At the request of Mr Konall the Returning Officer read out a second time 1 THE RESULT OF THE POLI., Feiet,Edwin ~, 98 Uenall, Alfred Williani,., ... 148 Informal ... 4

Then the friends of the winning . side shouted " Hallelujah," and up • went their caps, a soft felt striking the RO. fair in the face which further increased .their joy. One man could hardly contain He danced around yelling and waving biß.hat. , He seized the G.O.M by. the arm, clapped his own baton the top of Mr Benall's • and shouted •" We'll ' have, four grey borsies. and, a van out and parade the ■ town,"' The' successful candidate managed to shake off his excited supporter v and mounted the steps at the doorway of the Institute and addressed the ' .. MRRexam, said ho would not detain tliem long; If his fricud Mr Foist liked to come , forward there and then and put on his, (the speaker's) garments and guarantee to carry through the,work which ho had in hand of bringing a water supply into the town he would resign in his favor. He only wanted to see ! the town prosper. He was one of its founders, and therefore it was only natural that he should do his bestwith a view to that end.. He was one of those who had given them the, To«n Lands, which.valuable endowment Mr Feist and his party had squandered, That matter, however, was yet to bo fouqht out, and he hoped the people would stand by him when the the time came as they had oil', the present occasion, When be had succeeded n his undertaking of giving them a water supply and getting an. Act U Parliament, through,puttingtheir lands ou a sound basis, lie would niako his bow and retire.. (Cheers). At the ago of 76, and after 46 years before the public, he thought he was entitled to a rest from his labors, (Hear bear). His memory was not so good as in former times, and when his triend Heron made assertions, he had to panso and tliiuk before he replied, and he was not so ready of speeoh as he used to be. He did not know whether they knew where it was, butbetween Scotland and Ireland, there, was a spot of land called " Crack-skull Island." (Laughter).' "That/'-said he "is where my friend Heron comes from. (RoarS*of laughter). " When friend Heron gets up to mako a speech all his ideas go out through thatcrack." (Yells). Mr Heron \ " Thanks, I'm much obliged to you." Mr Eeriail 11 can't afford to offend my old friend Heron, however, and if we can't fight without making bad friends it's a pitv. Mr Perry: Hear, hear, „ : Mr Renall; Ah, Walter, are you there ] (Yells). I shall have to deal, with you, presently. I must have that £5 out of you to carry (lie water past your shop or I shall have to' topple you ovor into the.stream. (Roars of laughter and oheersj,• • Mr Perry, i We've had foul gas before, but we're getting good gas now,

Mr Eenall : Wei], put joking aside. I'm glad to 8?e you take what I said in goodt spirit, II ; Mr Feist wants to succeed in getting in he should havQ trained in tho Provincial Council. •'

"Mr Heron : That's all doue away with.

Mr Rcnall! Well, I won't detain you. We want a inari at tho head ol affairs whocan engineer you through your difficulties:

Mr Heron: We won't- lot yon do it. " Mr Pratijjnell: How. about the: Larrikins?

Mr Eenall: That's aside. If you get the best raau that cat) save you law and engineer's expenses, yon ought to ?be much obliged, and I know you've - got him this time, (Cheers,) I know it's'oustomary to thank you oji these occaaionSj but I'm not going tp 4q it. (Lighter.) I go in fof a special, purpose, - and if j succeed in that object, the benefit you | will derivo from it w\H bo thanks! enough, (Cheers,) ' j Mr i'tisr • , Eaid it would be noweuft lot Mm to I

j say thAtVwnof disappointed ih 1 1esult of the eleotion. He fully I pated.that the reaiiltwould ! havobijoii l Otlifuvise.- Ho hoped the town would 5 | piogtess fa\ orably during thn^rjing" >yi>ii, (heai heai) and tl Ht not have cause to lfgiet their choicfif (bear hear).. >ln the public interest liei® deemed n change was neodful, aad at - the request of a number of whoso good opinions he valued, he had come forward to contest the Beat, and < was sorry he had failed. Ho con * cludud by iiiovim>.a>vote.o£,thauks ti) '] the Beturning Officer for the manner - in which lie had conducted tho election. , Thd motion r was seconded by ■ Mr Kenall and carried by acchtmaHon,;*;