PARNELL.

V\ ith only bwo candidates soliciting suffrage the.contest for tho return of a member for the Parnell constituency is being as eagerly carried on and is exciting quito as much interest as the City election. Simultaneously with the opening of tho doors of bho polling booth (Parnell Hall) ab 9 o'clock this morning, voters started pouring in and the stream was an almost continuous ono up till a littlo before noon, when the rush abated somewhat. Up till noon some ono thousand voters had recorded their wishes, and of this number fully half were members of the recently enfranchised sex. The ladios exhibited no signs of inexperience, and their ballot papers were secured, tho votes recorded, and deposited in tho box withoub any confusion whatever. Outside tho booth strong Committees of the respective candidates were working energetically, hunting lip electors, finding numbers, and generally doing thoir utmost, to ensure the return of their candidate Vehicles wero busily plying about., and an air of excitement hovered around tho top of Parnell RihO, but everything was carried on quiotly, and in the boefc spirits. During the afternoon voters only arrived in fitraggling order, but a busy time is anticipated this evening, when workmen and others are returning from their daily avocations. There are two bootha in the hall. Mr G. Roberbshaw, bhe Returning Officer, is in charge, and Mr T. Seamen is acting as Deputy Reburning Officer. Tho poll clerks are Messra'T. F. Farley and H. Cottle, and tho scrutineers are Messrs William Grey and A. G. Stephens, and Messrs W. D. Buttle and G. V. Edgecombe for Messrs F. Lawry and W. S. Alien respectively. MOUNT EDEN. Polling at Waite's Hall, Mount Eden, for the Parnell constituency commenced briskly with the opening of the booth doors at 9 a.m. Tho ladies of this districb are certainly rofutinpr the chiel argument of those who opposed the granting of the franchise to women, viz., that when they had the privilege the ladies would nob trouble to exercise the franchise. Of the voters who recorded their wishes at the Mount Eden booth up to noon, tho vast majority were ladies, who polled something like ten to every male elector. The votes were registered in a very business-like manner, and the ladies had evidently taken full advantage of the instructions given them re, the process of voting. There was no confusion whatever. The Commibbee of tho bwo candidates are hard ab work about the district, and vehicles are conveying voters in large numbers. There was a lull in the voting between noon and two o'clock, bub bhe evening is expected to be a busy time. Mr A. E. Collins is the deputy returning officer, Mr G. E. Flower, poll | clerk, and Messrs Heighway and Hescott

are scrutineers for Messrs Lawry and Allen respectively. EDEN TERRACE. The voting of the Parnell electors in the Eden Terrace district is proceeding in the Victoria Hall, where two booths are established. Tbe deputy returning officers are Messrs W. S. and H. Y. Collins, and the duties of poll clerks are being fulfilled by Messrs Goldsboro and Woolcott. Scrutineers for Messrs La wry and Allen are respectively Messrs Hough and Coyle, and Messrs Cottle and Caron. Outside in the street vehicles, Committee rooms and energetic Committeemen are greatly en evidence, and up to noon their joint efforts bad resulted in some 300 votes having been recorded. As at Mount Eden, the female voters of Eden Terrace have so far outnumbered the members of tho sterner sex by nearly two to one, bub of course the working men are expected to poll heavily towards the evening, as they are homeward bound from the scenes of their daily labour. Voting started sharply at 9 a.m., and continued almosb without intermission, NEWMARKET. In the Newmarket section of tbe Parnell electorate the pollingr-booth was a** the Newmarket Public Ha 1, which was the centre of interest in the borough during the day. Major Pirie acted as Deputy Returning Officor, and Mr Patterson as poll clerk. Several hundreds of voters—about half of whom were women—had recorded their votes up to noon. Both candidates had strong Committees at work in thia district, 1 and vehicles of all sorts wero in constant commission during the day, bringing voters from all parts of the borough to tbe polling booth. Mr Lawry'a supportera mustered in strong force during the day, but both sides expressed themselves confident of success. ONEHUNGA. need of extra Returning Officers and extra booths for the rapid receivemenb of votes was severely felt ab Onehunga. A p.rfecb rush was made ab the Court House this morning, and it was found i necessary to engage 'buses and cabs to convey voters to other booths, where it was thoughb bhere would not be such a rush, but many voters who lefb Onehunga tor bhe purpose of recording thoir votes in a quiet sylvan retreat, such as Ellerslie or Epsom, had again to return, having found all the booths alike—crowded. Ab Otahuhu the booths were also rushed during the forenoon.