THE BY-ELECTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5557, 7 April 1905, Page 5

THE BY-ELECTION.

YESTERDAY’S POLLING. RETURN OF MR FISHER. A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY. The by-election for tho Wellington city seat rendered vacant through tho death of Mr George Fisher took nlaco yesterday. Tho following is tho result of the poll: Mr F. M. B. Fisher ... 4692 Mr O. H. Izard ... 3441 Mr John Hutcheson ... 3021 Mr Fisher was, therefore, elected by a majority of 1251 votes. Tho detailed returns of tho polling are:—

This shows that 11,15-1 valid votes wore cast; and as the number of informal votes was small, and there are 19,114 names on the roll, this means that nearly 8000 people neglected to go to the polls. Great expedition was shown by Mr G. G. Hodgkins, the returning officer, but some of Ids deputies unfortunately flailed to display a like promptitude, and in consequence the announcement 'of the final result was delayed, through no fault of the returning officer. Ho had. given explicit instructions that the numbers from the various booths were to he telephoned to him at the Hrillshod (the principal booths immediately the votes were counted. Some of the officials, instead of doing this, allowed the returning officer to wait for their returns until they were able to carry them down to the Drillshed. One return, for instance," was not known at the central polling-place for half an hour after it had been posted up at the booth- itself. The final result, of the poll was known at about 9 o’clock, but it could have been announced considerably earlier had the arrangement made, ’by Mr Hedgkins been fulfilled. Surprisingly little interest was manifested by the electors themselves in the polling as it went on during the day. “ It’s the quietest election I have seen here,” was the verdict of one wellknown citizen who has witnessed many political campaigns in Wellington. About three-fourths of the retail shopkeepers put up their shutters during the afternoon, and the people basked in the sunshine as they jrromenaded the streets, or grouped at the pollingbooths to speculate upon the chances of the rival candidates. “ Safe tips ” were as numerous as the candidates themselves. The recent by-law pmohibiting the distribution of handbills, cards, etc., was faithfully observed.- the result being that the timid voter was able to reach the hallot-hox, this time without the worry of perplexing directions how to vote and th,e clamour of excited partisans ringing in his ears. .i vtl© by little we are modernising our elections, and regulating ' them intovery staid and formal functions. The days of the “Eb'cs” and the “'Buffs” (of “Pickwick Tt -ere”) have departed, and the glory thereof is not. .A few cabs, and motor-cars rushed about nicking up casual electors, and the tramcars were well patronised, otherwise the day lacked incident. ■ Hie hotels were closed- from noon until 7 p.m„ which may or may not account for the assembling of an argumentative knot of well-known citizens yesterday afternoon in a sculptor’s gravestone yard not a mile away from the Opera House. Towards evening the streets became more lively, as crowds assembled at the newspaper offices to read the, returns, and there were repeated scenes of excitement when the final result was known, and it was soon that Mr Fisher headed the poll by a large majority.

THE POLLING. Pishor Izard. Hutcbosou Drillshed 283 307 196 Molesworth st. ... 112 90 81 - St. Mark’s 144 55 79 Bucklo st. 248 170 111 Upper Willis st. 301 224 277 Kent terrace 307 150 224 Clyde quay Kochabite Hall ... 351 239 220 116 331 159 Herbert st. 261 180 158 Sailors’ Best 147 90 106 Aro st 102 51 31 Sydney st. 4.55 509 247 Tinakori road ... 81 108 74 Willis st 613 481 366 mart ... 200 224 208 Druids’ Hall 630 825 268 Victoria Hall ... 223 155 102 Totals 4632 3141 8021