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BAILABAT WEST ELECTION.
(from odk own correspondent.)
The election »f acandidateto fill the placeof
Mr.Valeinthe representation of BallaratWest,
took place on Saturday, and was conducted
with a good deal of spirit, hut without any
thing approaching to excitement, this latter
feeling only showing itself at and after the
hour for closing the poll. There were three
candidates—Messrs. Duncan Gillies, John
James, and James Eddy, the former standing
in the Constitutional interest, and the two
others as representatives of Loyal Liberalism,
Mr. James being the chosen man by that body,
and Mr. Eddy opposing him on the grounds
that he had been badly treated by the Liberals,
and that bis claims on their consideration
were ignored. This split in the Liberal camp
was viewed as highly favourable to Mr. Gil
lies, particularly as Mr. Eddy had repeatedly
expressed his determination not to with
draw from the contest on any consideration.
Alas 1 for human and political promises, Mr.
Eddy, in an evil hour on Friday night
or Saturday morning, offered to withdraw in
favour of Mr. James if he was paid the sum
of £85 to cover his expenses, and was not
bound to support Mr. James in any way.
This piece of apostacy will no doubt be a
rankling sore in Mr. Eddy's future public
life, because no party is likely to trust him in
future. The Loyal Liberals rejected his offer,
however, and he and his friends worked
bard all day; but it was all in vain. It is
clear now he neverhad a cliapce, even had he
not offered to withdraw—an act that has
lost him the esteem of all parties., Up to
the hour of closing, the general opinion was
that My. Gillies's election was safe, as it was
fully expected Mr. Eddy would poll about 500
votes at least, and that this would weaken
the Liberal votes, so as to give Mr. Gillies a
majority of 300. Instead of this Mr. Eddy
did not poll 100 votes, and he has, of course,
forfeited bis deposit. It will be seen that
but for the Sebhstopol division, Mr, Gillies
would-have had a majority'; the numbers
giving Mr. Jamesa much larger majority than
he had, in the. gross polling. This result
has led mwy persons to consider whether
Scbastdnol, with its almost exclusive mining
population, should not be converted into
ah electoral district by itself, entirely
Independent of Ballarat proper. The Loyal
Liberals would appear to have marshalled
tbeir fifll strength again nearly, aqd to have
left Mr, Eddy completely out in the cold.' No
one expected Eaay' would' poll less than 300
yotes in spite of all opposition, but they have
been mistaken., Everything has passed off
without any disturbance. The returning
officer having been detained till past six
o'clock by the delay in obtaining the returns
from Napoleon's, none of the candidates put
in an appearance when the state of the poll
was announced. It was received with
loud cheers by the Liberal party. After the
meeting had dispersed, Mr. Gillies entered
his committee-room, and thanked his friends
cordially for the way they had worked for
him. He said he should be present at the
declaration of the poll on Monday, and ad
dress them at length then.
The following are the full returns of the
voting :—
James.
Gillies.
Eddy.
Ballarat West Proper (12
. polling places) ..
Smythesdale
Western-road
Winter's (fiebastopol)
1,486
65
152
665
1,488
117
161
435
67
2
4
24
2,868
2,201
97
Majority for Mr. James over Mr. Gillies .. 167
The following are the records of previous
elections for Ballarat West
— | Totals.
2,510
2050
1809- J. R. Bailey .1,400
R. M. Serjeant 1,311
W. Frazer 878
D. Gillies 903
1860—Bailey .. 1,402)
Gillies 1,138 j
1861—Gillies ;1 209
W.C.Smith 9C9
Phillips I 190
1864—B.Lewi s ! 1,092)
W. M. K. Vale '958)
1804—Gillies 1,443
Vale 1,435
8. G. Morton i 929
1865—Vale 1,450)
Service 1,070)
1866—Vale 1,443
Gillies .. .. .. ..1,383
Cooper 1,316
I860—Vale 1,099)
Carpenter 658)
1868—Vale 2 251
GUlies 2,217
Chalmeis 2,021
1868-Jones 2 6631 , r,Q1
Gillies .. 2,388 j", S'0J1
1869—Jones^-— .. 2)442)
W-"'.A®<..!i!o82 f
- «■». ■ • IW afios)
2.520
1,657
3,524
4,651
$