A little historical perspective on the eve of the Election for your mild amusement.....
The Evening Post's immediate post-Election coverage in 1908:
"All the long day that giant called "the people" worked his will upon the candidates, and in the evening he strolled out to gaze upon his handiwork, and he was surprised at some of the things which he had done by throwing white and green papers at men and institutions. In 1905 the giant gave the Seddonian Liberal Administration a push forward, and yesterday he pulled it down a few pegs. In 1905 he decided to close a few hotels, and yesterday he resolved to shut up some more. All these things the giant did in warm blood, according to the approvers, and in cold blood, according to the smitten, and then he went home to bed, more or less well pleased with his labours.
In Wellington, the candidates - the survivors and the "slain" - congratulated one another last night about their gentlemanliness towards one another during the canvassing and speechifying campaign. Some other districts in the North and South Islands had their coats off, and many were wild-eyed and dishevelled, but a comparatively prunes-and-prism respectability characterised Wellington. This region had on a top hat, a frock coat, and spats, and kid gloves, by contrast with others, and maintained the hat, the coat, the spats, and the kid gloves in fairly decent condition right up to the last."
[I originally posted this on Brian Edwards Media in the run-up to the 2011 Election]
