BRITISH ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18887, 9 December 1924, Page 13

BRITISH ELECTIONS.

NIGHT SCENES IN LONDON.

HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED.

EXTRAORDINARY EXCITEMENT.

[FROM OUR OWN" CORRESPONDENT.] / LONDON. Nov. 4.

Not at any other general election within the past 20 years has so much excitement prevailed as was in evidence on the day and night of the polling last week.

Tho intense feeling aroused by the election was particularly marked at the clubs, hotels, and restaurants. At the Trocadero wires were strung across the rooms, and horses, with the leaders of the three parties as jockeys, were moved' along in accordance with their progress at the polls.- The Carlton Club for once relaxed its old-time rule tbout the admission of women, and each member was permitted to introduce three women guests in the dining room, where the results were shown on a board. Astonishing outbursts of cheering were tieard in the great hall of the Liberal stronghold, the Reform Club, as each Conservative gain was made known.

At the Savoy Hotel 2500 people packed out the whole place, and hundreds were turned away. Their cheers at the announcement of the first five Conservative gains drowned the orchestras, completely. Dancing was almost impossible. Everyone wanted to shout or "boo" as each result was hoisted. For a time dancing had to bo abandoned altogether. As the night—or dayadvanced, the fun became more furious. When the defeat of Miss Margaret Bond field was announced at the Piccadilly Hotel one delighted dancer threw her arms round the neck of her dancing partner and gave him a resounding kiss. A vast Labour audience was ready on election night with red flags at the Queen's HalL When the results began to arrive, they were at first dazed, soon became staggered, and the cup of bitterness was filled when the news of the defeat of Ben Tillett at Salford arrived. The chairman, wearing a red coat, made~the best of a bad job, and jokingly remarked: " Tho choir will now sing, ' Lift up the people's banner now trailing in tho dust'."

A groan followed the announcement of the defeat of Miss Margaret Bondfield. By early morning the optimistic tone with which the chairman had opened the proceedings had changed to a minor key, and he was vigorously appealing for funds to enable the Socialist Party to wage a stronger fight at tho next general election. Vast crowds, their enthusiasm undamped by the dr.rnching rain, assembled in various parts of London to see the. election results shed on great electric screens. Thousand- stood in the rain in Trafalgar Square, a?:d made merry in the hotels and restaur; 'its, while waiting for the news. Gala dinners and suppers had been arranged, and dancing continued until the early hours of morning.