THE BATTLE OF THE POLLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 261, 4 November 1925, Page 8

THE BATTLE OF THE POLLS.

ELECTORS HAVE THEIR TURN TO-DAY. POLLING BOOTHS BESIEGED BY SERIOUS VOTERS.

This is the day of the humble elector. The individual man and woman- become by process of numbers a power in the land. For weeks past some two hundred candidates have dominated the situation by the powers- of speech and the printed word. To-day the citizens, having "read, marked, learned, and inwardly digested" what has been placed before them, will take control by the exercise of the mightiest force in politics, the vote. The result, who can foresee? Parties and candidates having high mana in the land may fall the harder and further for their height; those of humbler prestige may arise from their lowly stages to the pedestals of power. This is a day and a generation of surprises, and most strange and mysterious of all things is the movement of the body politic. As far as indications go, it docs not seem that there will be many changes in the political representation of Aucklanders; but indications are sometimes deceiving, and what will be born of the labour of this election day cannot be surely foretold. From the opening of the poll at nine o'clock this morning there were steady streams of voters to all of the many booths in and about the city. They came with serious mien, with a bearing that suggested all were imbued with a full recognition of their powers and responsibilities in the exercise of the franchise. At noon the stream became a flood which continued until two o'clock. Throughout the afternoon there has been a constant pressure on the booth officials, and it is anticipated that there will be a great rush at all polling places from five o'clock until the doors close at seven. All the indications are for a record poll.