MOCK ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 299, 16 December 1911, Page 10

MOCK ELECTIONS.

UVELT DOINGS ATTHE SCHOOLS. wordy and vmnc ■msBJ&ABE. Bitter partisan Appears tolntse been evinced amongst the juveniles at a number of city and suburban schools on Thursday in connection with the iiemHWl ballot for members of BuSaxaeat. Most of them, arrived at school on ths«( morning sporting the colours of the candidates itfiey favoured—the cokurtß bhis or red were worn in most cases, mow showy than artistic. Bed and hloe Howcrs in all iOm«<»»» were the favoured emhlemß, though of ribbons and pepec* there were jcofc a. few. In FSrrnell <£be teeßng TfßJr-fßDdicuhcriy liijrb. and at the Benruera achool it was evident that the supporters of either «andjdaite wm fairly even in numbers. Before the mnrmrnr jnwaiJitj hell had sounded, a number of fierce 'batttles had been fought, and some of 4fte boys even took: their flaees in class with damaged noses, vaxi<raery coloured eyes, and crumpled eoDsacs. The girls did not descend to fhe imßguity of routing- to blowa. *>nt waged wordy -warfare instead. Some comntotion was. canned when the; teachers aimaamced that the children would hasve an opportunity of voting- for their candidate at a mock "ballot. In Standard V. such strong feeling -was shown, especially among uoe boys, that it wan deemed inadvisable to proceed with the ballot. An attempt was made by the standard to- settle the issue in a disorderly manner after the class had 'been dismissed. In the remaining classes, however, the election proceeded with more or less order, and as with their elders 'Mr. Bmkson wa» placed at the top of the pofl. '

One teacher took a ballot on the licensing question, and national prohibition was carried with one dissenting vote. 'Hie hopefpf w?n> voted against prohibition rnfotrmed his teacher that he voted "eoiilliiUKUiue" because he knew a real good racehorse- of that name. Heated Arguments with occasional roogh and tumblea continued till as tea time drew near the childran dispersed to their homes, probably to explain the state of their clothes and the> Takw writb which they had upheld the honour of their candidate.