WAIPA ELECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 951, 27 July 1878, Page 2

WAIPA ELECTION.

THE DECLARATION

MAJORITY FOR McMINN 41

At noon on Thursday, the Returning OlHeer, Win. N. Soaranoko, Esq., made the following' declaration at the Court House, Hamilton, of the result of the polling on the preceding day : Edward Graham MeMinn .. 281 Eredk. Alexander Whitaker .. 24-3 Majority for Mr MoMiuu .. 41 The aunouuoenient was received '-with cheers. Mr MeMinn then stepped f jrward, and said that the present was the proudest moment of his life, and ho could assure the electors that he would go to the A ssembly pledged to further the interests of every p.irt of the district. He had to thanjc Mr Whitakor and those generally who supported him, hut more especially Mr Whitaker, for the. kiiuUhie s and good feeling manifested towards himself per.sonally, and for the fair and honorable manner in which tire content had been fought out by them, and he trusted- that he and Mr "Whitaker would long retain the esteem and friendship in Avhioh they now held one another.

Mr Whitaker cordially the remark which had just fallen from Mr McVlinu, for he'had never met a more fair and honourable opponent. His conduct of the election had been open and straightforward, and he, Mr Whitaker, sincerely believed thao the peronalities and disgraceful election squib.s, which had been circulated by many-of his supporters, were done so, not merely without-his approval, but without his knowledge. He entirely exonerated Mr MeMinn from any participation in them whatever, but he wished it to go forth to the public—and he observed two or three reporters present —that he considered that Government influence had been used for electioneering purposes in this contest in a most unwarrantable and improper manner,, and in a way which was dangerous to the liberty of the people. They were made to feel the tyranny of the majority., Every power in the hands of the .Government had been resorted 1 to' to turn, the scale in the election, and Nativp Office' officials had been employed to swamp' the European electors in bringing up Maori electoiH in a block vote, lie had been strongly supported, however, in spite of the result, and he would yet protest against these malpractices, and bring them prominently before the .Assembly and the public of New Zealand. Conduct so shameful—so dangerous to the liberty of the people—perpetrated by those who professed to be Liberals, deserved to be known throughout the length and breadth of \.he land, and certain electioneering agents (the history of whose lives was well known in Auckland) deserved equal exposure. The whole matter, it was intended, should be brought before the A ssumbly in a few days. Ho was assured of this by friends in the House, who had told him that " the whole thing was a cruel shame —that they would take it up in the Assembly, and, on public grounds, prevent such men using Government influence, as had baen done in this case, in future elections." He (Mr Whitaker) had now to thank the 243 olectuj.-s who

nd so manfully supported him. Out of hese there were only eleven Auckland absentee votes. The Maori's was a block vote against him. He, therefore, felt that he represented a solid phalanx of 230 bona tide Waipa electors —a string? party and a largo party, and one shat would keep itself together. If the |l|ct tion had been conducted fairly—he spoke not of Mr McMintt, but of thole Mfio', without his had the most shamelefs ,anpiinfairßf\elec®|iT coring practices—his the hustings might h|tV6 at any rate, the even||sould fiaye tiMofii' closer one. Ho believed Mr Mc vlinu would work for the interests of the district as a whole. As far as he himself was concerned' he-had many influential-friends-in the Assembly, and he should use what influence he could, as lie had always done, on behalf of the district. One matter ho must specially allude to before It had been said that a < prophet had not honor in his own country,iibut'he, as a political prophet, had, proved the exception to the rule, for those who knew him? best had voted for him, and in Hamilton; where he lived,-the electors had nobly, supported him—a f"ct which he should proudly and gratefully remember. > Three loud and prolonged cheers with one. cheer more Avere given for Mr "Whitaker: ' Order having been restored, Mr McMinu proposed a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, Mr Searancke, for the careful and impartial manner in which he had conducted the election. MrWhitaker seconded the motion,' which was carried with three cheers for Mr Searancke. The : electors then dispersed. Iho Returning Officer did not read out the return'! from each polling place seriatim, but gave the gross total on either sids. cilice our last—about half an hour, indeed, before the declaration was made—the returns from Raglan arrived, and were as follows: McMinu, '32; Whitaker, 24. ;i .*