South Bourke and Mornington Journal (Richmond, Vic. : 1877 - 1920; 1926 - 1927), Wednesday 16 May 1877, page 3


THE ELECTIONS. On Friday last the elections were held of members for the ninth Assembly of the Victorian Parliament, and on various griounds it will hereafter be looked on as a most memorable day in the political history of this colony. The general result is such that Sir. J. McCulloch and his colleagues have felt themselves called on to resign their seats. The electors generally apiipeared 'to' ta?6 reat interest in the elections for ther mem bers of the Assembly, which "were.' held oan FriJay ; party Spirit ran very high in sone places. On this occasion the 'lolling booths were open from eight' o'clock in?.the morning till five o'clock in the evening, instead of from nine o'clock till four' o'clock, as has been the case at previous' elections. We scarcely think that the? chainge' was necessary ; it was urged in tlhe Assembly that working-men and day laborers gener ally would thus be afforded greater facilities for recording their votes, but we. believe we are correct in stating" that persons of. this class have never experienced any difficulty in visiting the polling booths, if they really felt inclined to vote, and the only result; so far as we can see, is that a greater -amount of work has been placed on the returning officers and their assistants. It lias been said by some pdliticians thatl the polling day should be proclaimed a public holiday, but in this view we cannot concur; the large majority of the voters can find time to go to the polling booths without-inconvenien eing themselves in any way Whatever, and of the rest those who will not put them selves to a little trouble to record their votes evidently do not take much interest iin the election ; we feel, too, that at a time when party spirit is so munch aroused as it always is more or 'ess at elections the proclamation of a Ipublic holiday would scarcely tend to the maintenance of order. It is a mere crotchet of a few extreme democrats to fancy that a holiday is necessary, and we are glad to find 'that the Goverunient has refised to countenance it. There are some ersons who maintain that all those who hold the franchise should be; compelled under a certain penalty to exercise it; but we live, we hope, in a free couitry; and; while it would be folly to try to make a man take part in a contest in which he did not feel a voluntary interest, any provision of this kind could easily be made inopera tire by an informality on the ballot P'apers. On the whole the present system works'well, and it should therefore not bei hastily altered. Dandenong, Blerwick, Kew,, Haaivthirn, and other places in the South Bourke, Boroondara and lIornington' districts, were the scene of unusual bustle 'on Friday, and main roads were crowded with an unusual the trafic. Vehicles of all sorts ind sizes were enriaged in the service of thie' vrsrioiis 'caindi dates, and the sympathies of' the electors were enlisted by the placards which' were fued on them, "Vote for Keys, " " Vote for Pearson," or "Vote for Smith,B?' as 'the case might be. One of the most importalit contests was that for Boroondaii. ' Here Professor Pearson polled well, notwithstand ing the extreme, and, as' we think,:I the irrational views which he holds, luft he was unable to beat his opponent, "Mr.' G. P. Smith, who got a majority of 70 vdtes. The election for South Bourke' b'ccasioned a spirited contest between the 'supporters of Messrs. Fergusson and Keys, the other four candidates being nowhere, but 'in the 'end the former was proclaiimed "victoriotis." Mr Keys certainly deserved success on account of the soundness of his principles,' and the day may soon come when those. who did' not vote for him but for one of his opponents will regret the course they took. Another 'time he may be more successful. Very few candidates for Parliamentary honors attain the object of their ambition on' their first' attempt; they come forward twice and even three or four times before they are success ful, and eventually reap the reward of their perseverance. In Mornington MDr.'Purves, the old member, was opposed by Mr. Down ward, but the result was never doubtful, and 31r. Purees has been returned by, a substan tial majority. It will be observed that in many of the districts thle contests have been extremely close. In North Melbourne there i only a difference of 26 votes "between the first and third candidates ; ,Mr. Gillies; one of the candidates for Rodney, has only been returned by nineteen votes above oneof bhis opponents for second pliace; inideed' the polling places are so scattered in' that distr:ct that up to a late hour on Saturday his success was doubtful.. Mr. G. D. Cirter has got in by only one vote for Sty Kildii; he is said to be indebted 'for his 'success to a gentleman who had intended' tod go up country on Friday,ý but't stopped behind inr order to vote for him :ind gave' him a plhmper. . W'e need scarcely attempt; to piourtray the scenes 'at the various pollinii'-booths.: The voters were very 'warmly received at the booths, iiand touters wvere not Vwihtii' to show how to vote; wedo anot meainto siay that 'undue perauasions ieire usdd,; or ny thn, like intimidation was resortedito; far froa it; the voters nd'iii somiietimes persons who were not voters, were merely received with apoliteness, at the .entrance to the dlling places, ovhici was ioccasioiill~~y overwhelming. Onrte inside; 'the?5?were poisted by an b i o :sibliceman, h having learnt their names or initials directed them on their fuirtlei; couirse. "Thein :?omes the important moment ;-a- ballot paper is handed to the'elector; and 'he has to make ip his mind then or neveron the m?~heinouiis aestion of whoVis to represent: iim Ein iarihment. Pe'i have voters- of ??avfrois classes; there is the'man who has settled how he shall vote ?sldng .ago, hdliasl ein ractisingot 'duindny lbal'dt?i'pa iers'for at ast a week previoufs to the electioin; but sine men are h lesitating and doubtful even .'P the last moment, it may be from no?n-rau~rjrfoji nfil iity ;;a v6terh has even beedknon: toappeal to the Returning er tfioettle thequestion for him, but of caurse 'vithout.:meetin g any response from uait effical to dettle the dilemma in which ?es placed. At last, however, the deed is ine, and with a "'There, I've done it, " thl?'r d'eposits the ballot-paper in the b'tbox, and takes his departure, it may a i.sad aid repentant man. As the hour tr thloaing the poll drew near the excite meat mireased; thei procrastinating voters

then began to roll up, and: the: crowds out side began to grow-Inrger- and, inore.noisy. Some, ,amusement. was. created at some jlaces bv' persons -whm are -generally con sidered to be,' gone ' or c·razed on politics. An incident' occurred. at ,Richmond which is perhaps worth :recording.., . A maln, vho I haild' lst· half i-'a : sovereign,- pro mised a lshillini, to' the:'ifider. S'lhort .ly .afterwards a sminall boy:iproduced tlie missing coin; and .hanided it to the seor, whoi instead of givinig him'a sliilling, hainded hiin. a penny, saying'' that was enoughfor him. AA crowd then collected and com menced itor maltreat the man, tearing, liis coat off his back; and he had to be, rescued by the police' and taken to the lock-up for Pirotection.; tSuccessfuil 'cinididtes shliolrl learn from this that they are expected?oi keep1 their 'pledges.,' At five" o'clock :pre-, cisely the: bootis were cl~ad, some' voters .having the ddors alniost slin their:faces. but others just managingt'get a portion of their persons inside, and ,uqeezing in the renidinder. The crowds 'tside then began to ?get more excited,"and ninany were the speculations aes to the result, uit the speakers invariably surmised that their favorite can didate would be at the head of the poll. SB noosnsna. o (1) G .P Smitlh : ., : ,720 So: r :t :BouE. (1) . J. Fergson ... '585 8 .J. oys ... ... ... 480 . B. rws ... 154. F. Higgins . 153 F. Stephen 149 F. Davis . .. ... 33'' M.toaaioroi, (1) Purves 841 Downward 317 Sooric Ginrsrasn (i) S 3faeartey 368 Mason 3237 Lloyd :115 Sykes . 15 Shortly. after the announcement of the result of the 'poll Professor `Pearsbionad dressed the electors, thanking those who hadi suppoirted liiiis. It has been stated in some quarters that. there, was some double yoting and cases' of iinmpersonation in 'Haw thorn, but this has been contradicted by Mr. BoX, the Returning Officer.--Thel result of the lelection' for Boroondara was officially, announced on Saturday at noon. Mr. G. P. Smith, the successful candidate, was present, and moved a vote of thanks to, the Returning Officer. -He thaniked those'. who had voted for~hiri for returning himnas theirepreseniatiae .of tlihe distric. He said theielection had been very well coiitested; -and thou?? many., things had: been said on both sides whi~h .would have been better left'unsaid, .now that the contest. was over' he would dismiss the consideration ofthein from his mind,; and devote` himself to the welfare of the entire district. He could not help expressing his profound regret at the result of the' elections. It was his opinion that .from 'a political point of view- the country had' reached the lowest deptlis of degradation. Some of the candidates who had been r'etuirned were both socially anid intellectually unfitt.for. their positions. What was called the :Liberal party- had gained- a victory,, but lie believed that the working, classes, to whomnthey'were :mainly indebted for their success, would sin a few months ask those whom they had rejected to come in God's name and help them. He ventured to predict that the Parliameiit which :lhd.now been elected would `assemble. purely for party' purposes. IThe McCullocli Government might be considered at' an end; but if Mr. Berry' formed a Government it would: not. starnd' very -lonig, and - notheir ministerial crisis would probably be followed byl another dissolution. There were fewi working' men iwhoi .would not :regret the triumph they had ga~ined: He' would take his seat not with the .vie of boffering factioiusoppositioni but ivwoiuld be content to wait until the, country called on good men tolconduct-its business.- He regretted that Mr. Pearson' had not obtained a seat.in the new Parliament, because-he was an educa-' ted gentleman: lHe had, however,. learnt probably by this time that ho. had been made a tool of bythe so-called liberal party, eveh his own particQlat organ giving him a partingr kick. When: Mr. Pearson had somewhat .modified his .present. views., hi would be rejoiced to see him in Parliament; where his intelligence and ability o"ould 'b appreciated. The vote was then agreed to, and the assembly dispersed. : ' As to the result of the electionsfor South Bourke, -Boroondara and :ornington, there' is not much to regret except for unfortunalte South Bourke..l, As expected MrI:Pirves hais beenz returned for Mornington, fbut ;no?t ith so large a majority as was anticipated.The triangular struggle arranged it Boroondara did not coie'off as it was deemed better to let the ;ontest rest :bletweeii Missrs: Siiiith and Pearson-the restilt'is' known. T:he ,niiberi of candidates "for South ]Botirlke'so divided .ihevoters .that, ;for:. the present of all; the candidtes the most:ii useless -Mr. Ferguson is nominally elected . For manyi ears lthe firm'' of Fer`eiussodn':&'Mitchelil stationers,! of Collins sireeltf ,hali e b;l l ein contractors for supplying stationery, &cC. , to the- Government.: Of this) firm Mr. °Jfaes Fe¥reussion; ithe ;gentlemann iii es tlionliasabeen .the head , bti, sti.angeto' relate, in a recent issue of the 'Governmient Gazette, inistead of the name of the firm the name.of o M: W :Ferguasson '- appears to an aidkdition to a previous contract.We mentiio the circumstance simply as, hem beyond our coimprehension. i There miright have been esbmelittle expected from' any otheraio the six cianldidatesi, but, judging fromin hlis: prvious brilliiin:t career in ..the House, there is nothing. to be eipected from Mr. Fergussodn : In - fact, South Bourrke nmight as well have remained as it was, as it is virtuially disftranchised for the next three y'ears-that is, presuming -the election be allowed -to pass unchallenged, or tlhut another general election does not take place at an early date. " -SThe following is a full listof the members returned:-SEast sMolbourne.-E. L. Zox, A. K. Smith. North Melboarne.--J. Storey, J. Laurens. West Melboursne.--O. MacMahon, Knat., J. Andrew. SoUBUaBN DiSTecICs. SBoroondars.-G. P. Smith. -. E st B urke.-lR. Ramay. South Bourkes.--J. Feguason. : West Bourke-D. Cameron, J. T. Smith. Bourt' Borougha Eaht.--W. . Cook.

Brighton.-T. Bent. Carlton.-J. Munro. :;: Collingwood.-G. D. Langridgo, J. Mlirms. Emerald Hill.-J. Nimmo, A. Lyell. Filz oy.-A. L. Teic'ir, R. MaIcgregor. Fcoter'y.-3. L. Kiigi . Ki Rielimond.-L.? , Smith, J. Bosisto.4 o, , . St. Kilda.--E. J. Dizon, G. D. Carter. I SnndnridgeJ. Madden. ' 'Willisatoawn.=--A.. C Clark. . ? . .; CorinTh Diaracve. Ararat.- D Gauinson: Avoca.-J. MGir?t,Bl . G ' Davie :: Ballarat East.-J. James,a D. Brophy. Ballarat West.-W. C. Smith, G. R. Fincham, Brtrron3.. P:. Levinen. Belfast.-J. O'ShanoIssy at.`? hBenimbra-P. Writ. hi Castlemaine.-3J. R.Patterson, J. Farrell. _ .: Creswich.-R.. Bichardson,?R. H. Sainsbury, T. Cooper. Dalhousie.-J. G.,Duitiry. , Delatite.-J H Graves.' Dundas.- J. A: Macpherson.: B?velyn.-E. H. Cameron. 'Northi Gippsland.-l ? 'G. DO y nt.F. L Stryth. . Souith Gippslaniid -Dr Macriney Geelong.-R. Johnblone; G. Berry, 0.Kernot. Grant -P. Lalor,'J Rees.na -Grenville. -Davies, J.Bird.: Ka ra .--J. L. Dow. Kilmore and Anglesea- T. Hunt. Kynetaon - Younig.- : ', ·:..'.! a:' .-'::.,` iMaldon.--J. Scenesr ; : . . M.aindurang.-J. 3 . Cany, HHR. Williams, T. Moore. t Olaryborough. -J. Bowman, . M. Barr. Moira.-J. Orr; G. Sharpe. Mornington.-J: L. Purves. Normanby.-W.-Tytherloighli . -Ovens. G. B. Kerferd, G. Billson. Polwarth.-W. J. O'Hea. Portland.--T. Cope. Ripon and Hampden.-F. Longmore. Rodney.--J. Shackell, D. Gillies. Sandhurst.—R. Clark, J. McIntyre, W. G. Black-ham; Stawell.—J. Woods. Villiers and Heytesbury.—J. Dwyer, W. Bayles. Warrnambool.—J. M'Culloch, Knt. Wimera. -Clark, O'Callaghan :