The two county elections of the week have not been
favourable. to the Liberals, but have shown also that only a very languid, interest was taken by either party. They have shown, too, most of all, that to close a county poll at five,—especially now that the hire of carriages to take electors to the poll is illegal, —is simply to exclude a great proportion of the electors alto- gether from their electoral rights. In South Hampshire, on Friday week, Mr. Fitz-Wygram (Conservative) was returned by a majority of 1,437 votes over Mr. Deverell, the Liberal candi- date,—Mr. Fitz-Wygmm polling 4,209 votes, against 2,772 given for Mr. DeverelL In 1874, the Conservative candidate, Lord Henry Scott, polled .3,878 votes, against 2,946 given for Mr. Cowper-Temple, obtaining a majority of only 932 votes. Mr. Cowper-Temple (now Lord Mount-Temple) was, however, better known in the county than Mr. Deverell could possibly be. In Mid. Surrey, on Saturday, it was declared that Sir John Whittaker Ellis (Conservative) had been elected by a majority of 2,696 over his Liberal opponent, Mr. Stern,—Sir J. W. Ellis having polled 7,645 votes, against 4,949 given to Mr. Stern. In 1874, Sir H. Peek was carried by a majority of 2,705, or nine votes more ; but the poll on that occasion was very much larger than the poll of last week. The prohibition of hired conveyances certainly tends to diminish the total poll, and should really be accompanied by an extension of the hours of polling.
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