LANSING ELECTIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 14003, 9 March 1909, Page 4

LANSING ELECTIONS.

Men may ignore a public duty, and they may despise the sunshine, but the two influences in conjunction, plus the prodding of friends, bring out a lot of the seldom-seen on a day suph as this has been, and in going round "the booths it seemed to be a feature of this election that many old and sickly persons had emerged froni their privacy to express their opinions at the ballot-pox. It was also' observed that, relatively fpw wpnieh Had voted 1 at the Garrison Hall un to 2.3CJ. Perhaps they were ponupg later- 'ln regard"'to numbers, the chances alt' 3 p.m. seemed to be of a rather heavier poll than last time in tho City. Mr H. Maxwell had all "his preparatory arrangements pot with much care. The idea of setting up'a strangers' booth at the Garrison Hall, in orjer to allow of "West" and "North" electors voting there, as'well as those on tlie Central roll, was evidently appreciated, since up to 3 p.m. over 325 suc|i papers had been used. Mr Maxwpll hopes to be able to declare the result by 8.50 p.m. Nobody seems very sure wljat the result will be. ' The electapp in Dunedin South was very quiet, and the indications arp of a lighter poll than last time. The withdrawal of Mr Pnddy's candidature left only two Moderates' names on the papers. Mr ty er cer thinks that he will be able to make an announcement before eight p'clpcJf. At Port Chabners less than 150 Efpßle had recorded their votes at noon tb-dky, and fully half of that number were women. During the past week or two the Noliconso League have endeavored to strengthen the candidature of their nominees by the distribution of leaflets briefly setting forth the possibilities of the poll from their standpoint, but to-day no particular interest in the poll was apparent in the forenoon. As a maximum or three hotels can be closed in the electorate owing to Rednction having been carried, more interest, in the poll was anticipated during the afternoon.