VOTING ON GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11489, 23 January 1903, Page 5

VOTING ON GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

DECLARATION OF THE POLLS.

THE TRAMWAYS BOARD ELEOTION.

The polle taken yesterday on the question of the Greater Chxistchnrch proposals and the election of ishe members of the Chrastchurch District Tramways Board passed off quietly and with an absence of the bustle and excitement which accompanies a general election of member* to Parliament. Nevertheless, though 'ie voting wae not heavy, it was pr-jtty steady. In r.o car?, hen-ever, vrrrp iihs voters so mun-.TOus at any <wj© tiuw at- a booth as to appreciably ineonvendeiwe the poll dents. The substantial majority in favour of the Greater Christohuroh poll came somewhat in the nature of a surprise to many people, but, judging by the applause which greeted tthe announcement of the successful candidates far the Tramways Board, the result bad' been fairly well picked. There -was' observable an almost entire absence of the use of vehicles engaged in bringing voters k> the booths. A fairly iiirge proportion of lady voters considered the matters of sufficient importance to induce them to go to soma trouble to record their votes. Several of the candidates for the Tramway Board were in evidence at the various booths.

Business men in the city who possessed votes for Greater Christohurch in either St. Albajis or Linwood, but not in the city, were somewhat disappointed when they presented themselves at city booths, and desired to record their votes, only to bd told that they must vote in the district on the roll of which their pames appeared Despite the very full instructions given in the newspapers regarding polling booths, a number of voters called at the City Council Chambers under tihe impression thai, there was a polling booth there. Fortunately the Provincial Council Chambers, the principal bootth for the city, i* only a few minutes' walk further along the teruaoe. One enquirer at the City Council Chambers complained that he had been along to the Provincial Council Chamber*, but had been unable to detect any sign that there were polling booths in the vicinity. The City Council officials were keptbusy with another set of callers—namely, persons who had been informed by tthe poll clerks that their names were not on the roll. In several inetaaioee the officials were able to show the voters tihait the poll clerks had made o. mistake.

In some quarters objection was taken to übe fact that tiie corners of the voting papers, on which the poll clerks write the voter's number on the roll, were not gummed down and sealed. The Local Bodice Election Act, however, does not provide for ijhie being done. Mr T. M.HJEt., a candidate for the Tramway Board, elections, wo*confined to his room by a return of the throat affection that gave him some trouble during the general elections. He was, therefore, unable to take any part in the elections yesterday.

A crowd of about, a hundred persons congregated ai the Provincial Council Chambers about seven o'clock, and awaited the results of the polls. The result of the voting in the city on the Greater Ohxittcthraroh proposals were first announced by the Mayor of Ohristchuroh (Mr Henry F. Wigram) about 7.6, and it wae not Uα 9.45 that the Rewimiag Officer (Mr J. Whitekw) announced the resulte of lie election of members to the Treanwvy Board.