OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF THE POLL.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 156, 30 January 1868, Page 2

OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF THE POLL.

At noon on Wednesdays fair sprinkling of the inhabitants of Westport assembled at the Court-house, Glad-stone-street, to hear the Commissioner, acting as Returning Officer, officially declare the state of the poll. The Returning Officer then proceeded to read over the return, as follows: Mr John Yassie Smith .., 74 Mr James Henry Graham ... 74 Mr John Crate 7 Mr Thomas Goodwin ... 2 Mr Kynnersley then proceeded to say that as the votes were equal in number, it rested with him, as Returning Officer, to decide the election by his casting vote. From the first he had never felt any great responsibility as to how he should give his decision, and, therefore, he should give it in favor of Mr Smith. It was usual on such occasions as these for a Returning Officer to explain the reasons why he gave his decision. It was also one of the rules of the House that whether any motion was introduced into the Legislative Assembly, for the Speaker to give his casting against the motion, in order that members might have another opportunity of expressing their views on the matter. With regard to the reasons why he decided against Mr Graham—in the first place it would be introducing an innovation into the Provincial Council to return such a man as Mr Graham. Mr Smith was a fair representative of the ordinary type of members of which the Council was composed, while Mr Graham was unfit in his opinion to fill the duties of a Provincial Councillor. He had great respect for Mr Graham as a man, but he could

not entertain the idea of his heing returned. He had conceived so much regard for Mr Graham from the manner that he had conducted his election, that he could not think of allowing him to be returned as a member. He had always looked upon Mr Graham as a sensible man, and he considered that the only thing that he had ever shown a want of perception in was in allowing himself to be nominated. There was yet another reason why he should decide in favor of Mr Smith and that was this When the clock struck four an eleetor was in the room who had declared his intention of voting for Mr Smith, but in consequence of an informality in his license he (the Commissioner) had sent him to the Warden to get it rectified. If he had returned in time Mr Smith would have had the greatest number of votes, and he (the Commissioner) would not have been placed in the position he was now in of having to decide between Mr Smith and Mr Graham, as it was he, however, had no hesitation in declaring Mr John Vassie Smith duly elected, (cheers). Mr Smith, in addressing the Returning Officer and the audience, said a week ago he had not the least intention of standing as a candidate for the Provincial Council, and it was not until he had been much pressed that he consented to do so. He was grateful to the electors for the support that had been accorded to him, and would endeavor to do his duty. At the present time he believed the Buller was at its lowest ebb, and he had no doubt but that on his return home from the Provincial Council to give an account of his stewardship, he should find it flourishing like a green bay tree. They must excuse him from saying much more, as he was not yet able to comprehend his position. Mr Smith concluded by thanking the electors for returning him. (Cheers). Mr Graham, who was received with great cheering said, he felt proud of the position in which he had been placed. He differed from the Returning Officer in this—that he (Mr Graham) considered that he had a right to have been returned. The Returning Officer considered that he should not have allowed himself to have been nominated, but the miners thought otherwise, and therefore he did not: blush for his position, as he had run a dead heat with Mr Smith and therefore he could not be called a beaten candidate. If the miners could have afforded the time to have come down from Addison's Flat he should have been returned by a large majority, but as the Commissioner well knew that numbers of them were so poor that they could not do so. He believed that he had given Mr Smith many ideas, which the cleverest men in Nelson would not be ashamed of. (Cheers and laughter.) 7 ' ~- a fought the election fairly, ar s had never asked any man to sign name for him. If he had to get his living by the pen he had no doubt but that he would get a better living than many of those who who now used it. He felt proud of his position. He did not believe that educated men looked down upon uneducated men as was supposed. He would as soon go into Mr Smith's shop and buy a shirt as any other shop, (Laughter.) If the Commissioner knew all he might have been induced to decide in his favor instead of Mr Smith's, for he had never brought pressure to bear upon any one. He would not sell himself for anything. In conclusion, he would only say that he would have been returned if the papers had only supported him instead of Mr Smith. (Cheers.) Mr Crate begged to return thanks for the support that had been accorded to him, more especially to the seven electors who had voted for him. (Laughter.) He was virtually disqualified at the nomination, and if it had not been for his proposer and seconder he should not have put in an appearance. The Returning Officer had all but disqualified him because he did not happen to have a copy of the Supplementary Roll. When he found this out he took no interest in the election and asked nobody for a vote, and and did not have so much as a scrutk neer. It was the papers that had returned Mr Smith, but he would bs always glad to welcome that gentleman to dinner at his table. If he j could benefit the district he would do so ; but he would always have an eye to his own interest. (Laughter.) If any knowledge that he possessed could be of any service to Mr Smith he was quite welcome to it and he would .give him all the support that he could. The Council would require to be watched, aad he had no doubt but that Mr Smith would be able to give a good account of himself. Hebeggedto return them his sincere thanks. (Cheers.) Mr Tom Goodwin came forward somewhat reluctantly in obedience to repeated calls for him, and said that he

had felt very much flurried on each o asion that he had spoken, but he h d much greater reason to be so now after the highly flattering reception that had been accorded to him, as testified by the numerous votes he had received. His reason for putting himself forward had been this: he was very desirous of the honor of representing them, and when he came forward there were only two other candidates in the field—Mr Graham and Mr Crate. The former he did not not consider, although he had the very highest esteem for his honesty and straight-forwardness, to be the sort of man they required to represent them. Mr Crate knew that he had always consistently opposed him, and tried to render his candidature unsuccessful. He had, therefore, thought it worth while to oppose him now, and he had done his his best to do so. It appeard there were two other persons who agreed with him, as they had registered their votes in his favor. At Nelson Mr Bentley represented only the mercantile interests of the community. But they required a man to co-operate with him who should represent the mining interests. If the mining interests were successful they would soon have their own little petty-shopkeeping interests successful. He thanked the two who had supported him, whom he was unacquainted with but believed to be miners. A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer was proposed by Mr Smith in a few eulogistic sentences, seconded by Mr Graham, and supported by Mr Crate. This was given with three sufficiently hearty cheers, and acknowledged by the Commissioner with a bow, and the assemblage separated.