POLLING FOR CHRISTCHURCH CITY.

The polling for the three seats in the General Assembly for Christchurch City took place yesterday at the Oddfellows' Hall, and, as a matter of course, was the cause of some excitement. The cabstands, particularly, presented a very deserted appearance, all these vehicles being engaged in carrying voters to the poll from the outskirts of the city. The partisans of the various candidates worked hard and well for their respective men, and the result, aa will be seen by the numbers polled, was that a large majority of the electors on the roll voted. The election throughout, considering the intense excitement prevailing, has been conducted all a'ong in the most orderly aud good-humored spirit; and now that all is over every one can—whatever side they voted on—shake hands, and say that the battle was fairly and well fought. The street in front of the Hall was crowded soon after 4 p.m., and Mr G. Leslie Lee, the returning officer, announced that he would declare the result of the poll at 7 p.m. At this hour there was a very large concourse of persons assembled, and when the doors were open there was a tremendous rush into the Hall, which was soon filled to overflowing in every part. Mr Lee said he had to declare the result of the poll taken that day to be as follows:— Mr B. aJ. Stevens ... ... 1059 Hon E. Richardson 992 Mr W. S. Moorhouse 662 Mr S.P.Andrew 532 Mr E. J. Wakefield ... ... 241 Mr J. W. Treadwell 22 He had therefore to declare Messrs E. C. J. Stevens, E. Richardson, and W. S. Moorhouse duly elected to serve as members of the House of Representatives for the city of Christchurch. [Loud and continued cheering. J Mr Stevens who, on coming forward, was received with loud and prolonged cheering, said he conld say no more on the present occasion than to thank them most heartily and sincerely for the distinguished honor they had conferred upon him. [Cheers.] They had that day conferred upon him, by placing him in the proud position in which he found himself, the greatest honor they could pay to any private citizen like himself. [Cheers.l He had come forward as a private citizen —as one of themselves—and all he conld now say was that he hoped they would never have any cause to regret the confidence they had that day reposed in him. [Loud and con tinned cheers.] Hon E. Richardson, who on coming forward was received with loud cheers, said he had to thank them very heartily for the position in which they had placed him that day. [Cheers.] He could not deny that he had looked forward to a higher position on the poll, but still he was extremely pleased to find that they had placed Mr Stevens at the head of the poll that day. | Loud cheers.] Mr Stevens had been for years a consistent and able advocate of abolition and centralism, and therefore he was fairly entitled to the position in which they had that day placed him. [Cheers.] He (Mr Richardson) should, as he had always done, an/laairnnr huucotlj aod faithfully US U"» tllS duty to his constituents, and he hoped that they would have as little cause to find fault with his actions in the future as they had had in the past. | Loud and prolonged cheer* ing.] Mr Moorhouse, who on coming forward was received with a perfect storm of applause lasting some time, said he thanked them most sincerely for the honor they had done him in returning him as one of their members. [Cheers.] He was new their most obedient servant; all his energies, such as they were, were at their command. [Cheers,] He was perfectly satisfied with that day's work, and accepted their confidence as a recognition of his old association with the province. [Cheers.] If his friend, Mr Andrews, had beaten him, he (Mr Moorhouse) would not have been mortified, as Mr Andrews was an honest and respectable citizen, and it would not have upset his equanimity to have been beaten by an honest and respectable man. [Cheers.] Mr Andrews, who was loudly cheered on coming forward, said that he desired to express his thankfulness to those 532 gentlemen who had voted for him, though he must say he was somewhat disappointed with the result. It was, however, no diegrace to be beaten by such men as he had been beaten by that day. [Cheers.] 11, however, his services were required o«i a future occasion, he should only be too happy to place his servicea at their disposal.. [Cheers.] He had served them in the Provincial Council, and should, had they seen fit to elect him, have done his best, so serve them in the Assembly. [Cheers.] There were one or two subjects raised by him (Mr Andrews) during this election which he hoped those who were elected would look after, viz, the alteration of the preset! t system of registration of votes, and ext:n?ion of the hours of polling. [Cheers.] He (Mr Andrews) attributed his defeat to the restriction of the hours of polling—[•'No, no," and cheers]— because the workin'p men were unable to leave their work to record their votes. [Cheers.]* There waft not the slightest blame to be attached to the returning officer; it was the law which was at f snlt, and he could see no reason why {he polls should not be open before eight o'clock in the morning, and close after the honr at which men left th«ir work in the evening. [Loud cheers.] Mr E. J. Wakefield, who was warmly received, said he had to return his sincere thanks to those electors who, regardless of the offence they might give in some places by so doing, had come forward to vote for him. The constituency "had proved themselves as kind hearted and intelligent as he had always taken them to be, and not willing—as had been tried in some quarters to make them—to believe that he was as bad as people bad endeavored to make him out to be. [Cheers.] He also desired to tender his thanks, with one single exception, to those who had been opposed to him in this contest. He had received from all but that one the greatest courtesy, kindness, and encouragement. Though he was unfortunate this time, he might be raor- successful on , another occasion. [Cheers J His defeat would not, however, prevent Mm .from carrying out those principles which he had , advocated, though out of Parliament. J [Cheers. J ■ \ ■ :- Mr -Treadwell, who was - .received with [ mingled groans, hisses, cat calls, and cheers, , said-he was thankful to the electors for the t way in which he h"»d been treated -during ( his short candidature. [Laughter. | The ( newspapers of the province had stood up . against him to prevent him from showing j that the incidence of taxation was to bear < hardly on the poor man and to let the rich , man go free. He desired to call their atten- \ tion to the fact that unless they kept a strict watch on matters their trade and commerce '■ would suffer enormously, and when this was , the case they would all suffer. Mr Stevens said he desired to propose a , vote of thanks to tte returning o-rieer for the \ able and courteous manner in which he had , discharged the duties of his office that day. [Loud cheers.] , Mr Wakefield said as a defeated candidate • he had very much pleasure in seconding the proposition, and bearing his testimony to the impartiality and courtesy of the returning officer. [Cheers.]

Hon E. Richardson desired to endorse all that had been said on this subject by those who had preceded him. [Cheers.] He might also inform them that the Hon Mr Bowen had been returned for Kaiapoi by a majority of forty-one. [Lond and prolonged cheering.] This concluded the proceedings, and the large concourse dispersed.