SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1312, 15 December 1911, Page 11

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

After the Battle. It seems almost incredible that tho turmoil ami suspense in which ovorvone lias Iweii living 01 Into has really come to an uul. XI ordinary peuple, who have hail nothing to distract tliem Imt their daily work iiro thankful that all is over, what ! . ,' lO °' f' lc candidates themsc \OS, and ot those who have been worklug so strenuously on their behalf. Tho iniquity ol the second ballot has boon uiougut hoinu to people rather forcibly. <l, i elrell °" day was exciting enough, tliougli the excitement was present in a subdued iorm, but yesterday it was elccInc. I eoplc were out lor business—tho business »' getting their chosen representative into Parliament—and there was no dilatoriness, no hesitation, no thought ot snincing their dutv. Partisanship was in the air, and thoso who were not voting this timo-their battle having been iouglit last week— were as keen over the matter as those who were in the thick of the fight. Each side had a legion oi people working for "'em, tearing round with cabs, motors, taxis, traps anything that had wheels. I'ho time has gone by when people walked to tho polls, re'/i i'ded their vote, and humbly walked buck again, and numbers of the women would not vote at all if a motor did not call for them. Every sido had a large equipment of vehicles, and the streets were full of them dashing through tho streets laden with their most valuable burdens.

11l front of tho booths was to bo seen a constant procession of people, some more than others. Notably was this the caso in front of the Druids' Hall in .Tarauaki Street, where there was almost a blockade, at times, and in front of tho Clydo Quay School. At these two places it was really wliai might be called constant. Standing on the pavements were numbers of people watching evonts, and, in their own minds, deciding by the look of the arrivals which side they were voting for. Even tho cars upon the roads were tho subject of this inquisitive, critical regard, so intense was tha interest taken in the great event. In one booth quite a ripple of amusement was caused by a cab witli the front of it down, dashing up. Instantly the eyes of the watching crowd were turned upon it, and, when it drew up, there, sitling in solemn stale, was a little girl. It was so unexpected Hint pcoplo could not help smiling. Probably by the time she comes to vote sbo will know a great deal about elections.

There was ono somewhat striking phase about this election, and that was the great revival, on the part of women generally, of interest in political matters. This, of course, was largely duo to tho closeness of the. struggle, and also to the great necessity for reform. Not for many years liave they made themselves so acquainted with tho record of Parliamentary doings, and, so keen had this interest become that, even in some of the girls' schools in tho city, they had taken up matters, and becomo keen Oppositionists.

Women are vindictive, it is said, and possibly it may be true in some things. At any rate'there'are people who would have been greatly surprised could they have fathomed the zest with which many a woman crossed out the name of tho candidates she did not wish to get it. She nieant it. Lady Islington at Chrictchurch.' A Press .. Association message ■ from Christehnrch -states that yesterday morning, in delightful weather. Lady Islington visited several of the Cliristchurch schools speaking to the scholars in each classtoonii

Th<S engagement is announced of Miss !-Veda"Miri(uf liaise, of arcftoinji"to Mr' Lionel Bidvill lUiodes, nephew of Mr. W. G. Kidv.il!, and Mr. J. 0. BidwiU, of Lower yallev - . Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Menzies left for the south last, evening, and "will be away till after Christmas. Mrs. G. Humo (Lower Valley) is visiting Wellington. Mrs. Cameron (Moroa) and Mrs. I 1 Pearce are in town. • Mt-s. Bennett' (Chrislchurcli) and the Misses Coward, .who arrived this week in Wellington' 'from England, leave for Christchurch on Saturday. Mrs H. Morrison (Tonui) is staying at the Koyal Oak. Mrs. Booth (senior) and Mr. and Mrs. ilo\\ard Bootn arc nsiting Wellington. , aiul Stevens (Nelson) left Wellington for Dunedin last evening. im l ! 6 ? r, JT? :sre , mcnt: is nnnomicod of Miss Mildred Stnckey, youngest daughter of Mrs. F. J Stuckey, of "The Betreat," uGMn, to Mr.* Arnold W. Richter, younsest son of tho Into Mr. J. C.' Richter, of Palmerston North,