WELLINGTON EAST

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 146, 18 December 1919, Page 9

WELLINGTON EAST

DR. NEWMAN WINS. Dr. Newman (R.) .... 4089 A. L. Monteith (Lab.) 3281 L. M'Kenzie (L.) 2329 Majority for Newman 828 The result of a heavy poll in. the Wellington East electorate was the return •of the sitting member, Dr A. K. Newman, with a substantial majority of 828 over Mr. A. L. Monteith, .the Labour candidate, and of 1760 over Mr. L. M'Kenzie, the Liberal candidate. The total poll was 9767 votes cast out of an electoral roll of 12,092, one of the largest in New Zealand. At the 1914 election the number of electors on the roll was 9278, and in 1911, 10,219. The growth of the suburbs of Roseneath, Hataitai, and Kilbirnie during the interval accounts for the increase. The polling during the day was of the steady order of progress, and polling officials anticipated a big vote. The arrangements! under the experienced Returning Officer -{Mr. P. Cording), who has had control of the same electoriate on several previous occasions, were excellent. The only hitch was at the Church of Christ, Bay-road, Kilbirnie, where the pollingwas unexpectedly heavy. All the returns from, the different booths, except this one, were in at 8.30 p.m., but it was- not till 9.15 that the final result came, as the polling officials at Kilbirnie brought in their results personally without previously telephoning them through to the Returning Officer. The first result in was from Kilbirniecrescent, at 7.28 p.m., and showed a small majority for Newman, which increased as the results arrived in order from Roseneath, Hataitai School, Kilbirnie School, Hataitai Bowling Pavilion, Clyde-quay School, and Kent-terrace to 12U6 over his nearest opponent, Mr. Monteith. The three last booths—Victoria Hall, St. Mark's, and Bay-road, Kilbirnie—were in favour of Monteith,'but the victory of Dr. Newman was never in. doubt. His chief .strongholds were the Bowling Pavilion," Hataitai, with 718 against Monteith's 280, and Clydequay 1304 against 815. There were 88 informal votes, including 31 at Clydequay. Throughout the election there was no particular excitement noticeable, nor anything like the final rush of previous elections. The Labour colour— ] the red ribbon—was much in evidence, and it was remarkable on how many fine motors it was carried. The uniforms of the police and members of the Defence Forces were conspicuous at.all the booths, but there was never anything like trouble i !to need their attention. Following are the results: — 1 1 I §. I £ Clyde-quay School ... 305 815 1304 Kent-terrace 356 530 652 St. Mark's 204 335 261 Victoria Hall ; . 203 542 328 Bay-road, Kilbirnie ... 173 371 281 Kilbirnie-crecicenfe 137 172 195 Public School, Kilbirnie 104 87 128 Bowl. Pavilion, Hataitai 246 280 718 Hataitai School 28 34 89 Eoseneath 73 95 135 Informal, 88. 1914 A. K. Newman (R.), 4062; D. M'Laren (Lab.), 4014. Reform majority, 48. • . ,