POLLING DAY IN CHRISTCHURCH.

A DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT.

The general election of 1893 will form a memorable epoch in the history, not only of New Zealand, but of the civilised world. It has been reserved for what Mr John Matson calls "our dear little country "to be the first in the British dominions to entrust women with the franchise. Therefore yesterday's polling was not only unique in New Zealand as regards the number of votes cast, but also from the fact that a very considerable number of them were given by the fair sex.

It was Bomewhat amusing, in the light of the proceedings yesterday, the remarkably business-like way in which the women voted, to remember the disinterested eagerness with which the Premier and some of his following tendered advice to the ladies how to vote, and the fears expressed as to their not understanding what to do. Well, no one need have troubled about' this. Taking to heart a portion of the American advice to voters to poll early, if not often, the ladies took possession of the polling booths immediately on their opening, to the almost entire exclusion of the sterner sex. Ladies filled the side walks leading to the various polling booth?, and streamed over into the middle of the road, whilst the avenues of the polling booths resembled & gay garden party, or what Mr Weston called the other day "A bit of a dance," rather than anything to do with so prosaic and dry-as-dust a subject as politics. The pretty dresses of the ladies and their smiling faces lighted up the polling booths most wonderfully, and one envied the returning officer and poll clerks 1 whose duty it was to pass in review such a galaxy of beauty. Truly yesterday was the women's triumph. For at least an hour Christen titcE was at the mercy of an enemy, who fortunately was merciful. How potent an enemy it tvas the writer of a well-known song, " I fear no foe," has aptly described— " I fear, alas, the glamour Through thy drooping lashes seen,"

sings the poet. And so, though the victory was complete, though the tyraut man, as he has been called by women's rights' orators, was trampled—metaphorically speaking—under the delicate foot of Enfranchised Woman — with a large E and W—she, as ever, wae a merciful and considerate tee. Having achieved the victory of holding the forts of all the polling places for at least an hour, the women retired in good order with drums beating and fiag3 displayed. It was most interesting to watch the different groups of women a3 they made their way towards the polling places. It was noticeable that they always went m pairs. Here again, the true nature of woman asserted itself. She must have something to cling to, even if it be but another woman. Thus reinforced a woman has been known to defy

even a mouse. And so in pairs they paced onward to exercise for the first time the privilege which hitherto had been confined to those very ordinary individuals comprised in the male sex. As they went along it was noticeable that therS was seme thing more serious than a mere outing with their sweethearts. The care with which they had attired" themselves showed that they fully appreciated the importance of the occasion. As they walked there was also noticeable an expression of high resolve on their faces, a kind of "do or die" look. Then, added to this, was a curious sort of look as though they were embarking on an enterprise the exact result of which they were not quite sure. This, when combined with the evident feeling of pride that they at least had apart in the work of building up a nation in New Zealand which was new to them, made the new.y enfranchised' most interesting objects of study. A3 has been said, the women were very early on the scene. There were also about thedifferent polling places signs that some of the ladies had taken considerable pains to make themselves acquainted with "The ways that are dark and tricks that are vain" connected with electioneering, for they stood round the entrances and intercepted their sister voters with energetic and impassioned appeals to vote for their particular candidate. One lady was so flurried by these persistent vote seekers that on getting her voting paper from the poll clerk she carefully erased the three she was desirous of voting for and deposited her paper triumphantly with eight names uncancelled. As was only fit and proper the Model Borough of Sydenham set the fashion in voting. The Mayoress : of Sydenham was the first woman voter to cast her ballot. At the Provincial Council Chamber and the other polling booths the first votes received were - those of Thanks to the very excellent arrangements J made by Mr R. Beetham, the principal Returning Officer, at very short notice there was not the slightest hitch or trouble anywhere. The large number of ladies who thronged the polls were enabled to record their votes without any trouble, and all worked smoothly and easily. In some of the ' groups of ladies discussing the question after they had recorded their votes, political feeling ran pretty high. They seemed to j be, bo far as could be seen, divided into two' distinct camps, prohibitionist and otherwise. The ladies supporting the former cause were exceedingly vehement in their denunciation of the other Bide, but after a little time even these groups ceased to assemble, and the ladies, after doing their duty by their country, went forth to bewilder the eyes of mankind with their radiant attire. No doubt in years to come, when many of the young ladies who yesterday for the first time went through the novel experience of voting become grey I haired grandmammas they will tell their descendants of the year 1893, and say in the words of the poem, "Aye, aye, it was a glorious victory* but what was it all about?"

At the Provincial Council Chamber some peculiar scenes took place. Iα one instance a man and his wife and daughter came to vote. The man first wished to go into the recess to instruct his wife how to vote. The poll clerks removed him. Then he went into where his daughter was recording her vote and wished to instruct her. This also he was prevented from doing much to his chagrin. " Why," said he to Mr Beetham, "we have no secrets from each other; oughtn't I to tell my wife and daughter how to vote." Iα another case a lady was not on the roll, and she wanted to know from Mr Beetham, you know, why she wasn't on the roil. But Mr Beetham could not tell her. As far as can be ascertained some 10,000 voted. Ac the Provincial Council Chamber some 3000 voted, of whom a large proportion were women, and only twenty-five informal votee were recorded. There were some inatanct* in which a lady voted for two and scratched out a third name, but put alongside it " Please put this in, I didn t mean to do it." The hard-hearted poll clerk, however disregarded this appeal. The* result of the city election was made known shortly before 2 a.m. Up to this time the streets (opposite the Pkess office, from which the results were shown by means of limelight, and Gloucester street, in front of the Times office) were thronged with people who cheered most vociferously as the numbers went up. There was no disturbance, and the whole proceedings passed off without any rioting or horseplay.

/ AVON. The 'three candidates contesting the Avon seat were Messrs W. W. Tanner, Geo. Mclntyre, and J. L. Wilson. The firstnamed was one of the labour members in the last Parliament, and had a strong hold upon the electors of that part of the district which he had previously represented. Mr Mclntyre and Mr Wilson were both untried men in politics, and though the former was well-known and respected in the district, his attitude on the education question appears to have alienated the support of a considerable section of the electors. It was anticipated, however, that he would poll well, but that Mr Tanner would beat him. Mr Wilson was not considered to have much of a chance. As the results show, Mr Tanner was returned by a substantial majority. There were few people present at the chief polling booth, the Linwood Borough Council office, when the result was ascertained, but the supporters of Mr Tanner expressed their congratulations in cheers. The result was aa follows:—

Appended are the res: .t the different booths :- ts o: e poi r' • s < f *■"' • i-" ,, < .** : : : g -0 - § : " I l-'^JWHH^^^^&l*wgJ Provincial C<Juncil Chamber^. Taam street Hall &>0»0.*»&«OC>ll-»Ou-»»-' g*3-*gocno*co£co8 Hibernian Hall. St. John's roomh. : h- c* w t o *. O4 i OddfeUows , -Hall, Oo.f»coo»-«3i-«oc7<cncxo4 I Montreal atreeb. j ttlouwe * 1 »trc«u. eD£oS»oCS£SSSSSS St. Albany cocncnoicoMSSSSul Knightstowa, coo-jcou>E£E§S2§2 Richmond.* Sydenham. 04CM>3COOCOCnCD-»JC7>00 S<*en«ogS823§gg Addington. eo o •-» cw o.<o c? co eo_ o>cn&Joi5iSSo5oQ*>bi Waltham. I O~a00t0O«3OCJiC0Cn*> I Tnfalo o>wi?oiwwcooooa' J

M a ,3 5 o § a *5 I 5 Linwood Borough Council Office ... 741 399 Phillipstown ... 386 172 Woolston ... 193 . 122 New Brighton ... 88 127 Burwood... ... 75' 64 Marshlands . M 47 89 Clark ville ... 45 13 Ohoka ... ... 127 54 Swannanoa ... 15 26 130 56 31 10 28 44 47 39 20 22 21 4 1 1 2 1 Totals ... 1717 1066 405 52