HERE AND THERE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1308, 11 December 1911, Page 5

HERE AND THERE.

CAMPAIGN POINTS AND PRESS COMMENTS. A Serious Misconception, There appear to bo quite a large number of women electors who think they have done their duty by voting at the. first .ballot, and that their votes will be automatically recorded at the second ballot without any further trouble ou their part. This is, of course, quite a mistake. It is the duty of every elector to go to the polling booth again next Thursday, and vote for the candidate of his or her choice. Government's Hopeless Position. The Christeliurch "Press" said on Saturday: "A closer examination of the results* of the first ballot confirms the opinion wo expressed yesterday that the defeat of the Ward Government is inevitable. Tho possibility that on Thursday next a sufficient number of pledged Government supporters will emorgo successfully from tho second ballot in thirty constituencies to Give Sir Joseph Ward a majority, is so remoto that it cannot be seriously entertained. Twenty Govorn--1 nient supporters ouly wore ablo to secure election ou Thursday, and at least bventytvro more aro necessary to provido the Government with a working majority. Sir Joseph Ward has little or nothing lo liopo from any Labour successes, aud tho possibility of him being ablo to corral tho Independents is equally Ho must therefore look to Hie second ballots in thirty seats to yield him more .supporters than tho first ballots yielded in seventy-six seats. One has only to examine tho voting for the various candidates in tho indecisive contests to eoiuo to the conclusion that the Governments position is hopeless, and we have no doubt that tho Prime -Minister has already made that discovery for himself. The whole position, therefore, is one upon which tho country can congratulate itself.' Mr. WriQht and tho Workers. Giving reasons as to why he should bo elected Mr. It. A. Wright, Reform candidate for Wellington "South, speaking at Wilson Street on ■ Saturday night, said that he had already taken an interest in tho people generally aud in tho labouring class in particular. Twelve years ago lie joined with others in tho formation ot the Co-operative Building Societies ot Wellington, which had been (he moans ol providing working men with homes which they otherwise would not have to-day. Ho was nt tho present time chairman ot the Hoard of Directors of two such societies. This had given him an opportunity ot studying the housing problem, and in a measure assisting lo solve it. The candidato also referred lo the interest he had always taken in athletics, lie was an ollioe-bcarcr iu cricket, tennis, swimming, and harrier clubs, and was a member ot Hit Newtown Bowling Club. Ho was al«> a member of the committee of the Wellington Zoological Society. At tho conclusion of the meeting, when tho candidate dealt effectively .with ono or two hocklers, cheers were given for Mr. Wright and (lie Ik-form party. Nothing Succeeds Like Success. It now remains for the Beforin party to throw themselves heart and soul into the campaign of the next few days. Ministerialists are bound to bo disheartened and deflated by the turn of events; and although some'of them will struggle hard to save their seats, everything is in favour of their opponents. Nothing succeeds like suceess in politics, and the Heform party have it in their power not only to place a good win to their credit, but to achieve a signal victory.—Christchurch "I'ress." A Suggestion. At his meeting on Friday night, Mr. Fisher suggested that it might be a good plan if he and Mr. Fletcher mot on tho platform and cross-examined each olher on political subjects. It. was refreshing lo bo in a contest in which the candidates were upon such excellent terms with one another. His (Mr. Fisher's) platform was always available to any elector who wished to uso it within reason, nnd if his opponent was desirous of discussing politics, he (Mr. Fisher) would l>o glad to make any of his meetings available for the purpose. Mr. Hindmarsh and tho Ward Party. In reply to the miction, "Wliat is vour attitude towards (ho present Cirtveminent?" Mr. Hindmar.*h, at his nicotine in Green Street, on Saturday evening, ••■■aid: "In the first place, wo are an independent party. There are now three parties-tho Ward parly, the Massoy party, aud the Labour party. What the position of my party is in regard to the others must bo greatly determined by circumstances as they arise, but wo shall not form any coalition with another Tlie candidate was then asked how ho would vote on the following motion: "That this House has no confidence in tho present Government." His answer was that his vote would be determined very much according to the question before tho House. Ho would vote itccoriliiiK to his principles, regardless of tho effect on either party. And Yet They Turned Him Down. The "Star" did its very best for (he Government candidate for Parnell. Thus: "Sir John Findlay delivered his final appeal of the contest; to (lie electors of I'aniol) at the Xf'wmiirkel Public Hall last ovnnim: in a lighting.spm-lr which rounded off a succession ' of addresses that for brilliance of dictum and evidence of sludeney iu politics have rarely been equalled on an Auckland platform,''

The Letting of the Town Hall. Mr. Fisher 6tated at his meeting _at , St. Peter's Schoolroom on Friday night j* Mint on tlio night of tho poll on Thursday .. last ho had telegraphed to the Town Clerk engaging tho Town Hull for the night lx't'oro the second ballot. He had been informed, however, that the council intended to call for tenders . for I hat night. "This means," continued 'Mr. Fisher, "(hat I am up against tho moneybags again, and when people can afford to rent both hulls nml not uso either, us was done tho night before the last poll, my chances are reduced to nil." Mr. Fisher intimated that ho would speak in Ihe open air the night before/ the poll. The Vanished Fear. „ "There is no liberty of thn subject if the subject is frightened to express his vip«-s."-Mr. JJiill, at Clirislekurcl) North. The Nature of the Fight. "Whatever may.."hnppen, it is certain that the Ward . Administration has no longer,the country at its back, and that a change is bound to come, Realising the importance of that change, it is the duty of every friend of reform to register his or her vote on Thursday next. Tho light is not, as some would have us believe, between Capital and Labour. It; is a fight for reform in tho administrative methods of the Government."—"Wairarap.a Age." "To Complete tho Rout." So for as tho Masterlon and Pahiatnn scats are concerned (says tho "Wairarapa Age") there is every hope for euccess on . tho part of tho llrfonn candidate. Messrs. Herbert and Hawkins have both fought clean, honest lights, and they will doubtless uso all their iulluonco in the endeavour to complete tho rout of a party which has grown stale and infirm through ago and decrepitudo. It is confidently expected that tho voters in Eketahuna and other parts of tho Ifasterton electorate who fought gallantly for Mr. Horbert nud ■ reform will see Hie importance of rallying round Mr. Sykcs in tho second ballot, i'he fato of tho liefoim party may depend upon this electorate. That 'being so, it is eminently desirable that tho Keforin candidate should be returned. Tho Reform Campaign. Mr. A. L. Herdman, M.P. for Wollinutc* North, is (o address a political meeting at Ekotahuua this evening, at Masterton on Tuesday, and at Palliatua or Hastings on Wednesday. Pahiatua and Masterton, ■ The "Palliatua Herald" offers congratn. . lations to Mr. Escott. "Ho put up a splendid fight, clean but vigorous, and ho surprised his most optimistic supporters by heading the poll. -His performance is only equalled by tho magnificent efforts of Mr. Buick at Palmerstcn, and of Mr. Hamilton against tho Prime Minister. _ In (ho second ballot he should win with a good deal to spare, only no risks must bo taken, no effort neglected, and every pust made a winning post. In Musterlon Mr. Sykes polled very heavily, and in the second ballot should win, especially as Mr. Herbert, with his true sportsmanship and gentlemanly instinct, is supporting his erstwhile rival. Mr, Herbert put up a very vigorous fifrlit, and must bo commiserated with in being third. Many an electorate would accept him gladly." "A Clear andSimnle Choice." In an address to fno electors of Wei" lington East, published on pago 2 of this issue, Dr. Newman states: "Every constituency in which there is a Reform candidate engaged in tho second ballot has a clear and simple choice offered to it. It can declare for the Ward part}-, or it can declare far tho keeping up with the army that will purge the nation of the evils of lnisgovcrnment, against which a patient people has at last risen in its might. .... Every vote for tho candidate who supports the Ward party is a voto for tho Ward , party, and for three moro long years of misgovernment by a' party that uses all men and all things for its own ends." Mr, Hogg's Party, A correspondent writes as follows to the "Wairarapa Daily Times":—Mr. Hogg has frequently stated that he is allied with no party, and that ho has as little confidence in the Government as he has in the party of Reform. By this statement, 1 understood that ho was stoking the'sup... port of all men of moro or less independent vie .vs. Now, I enclose herewith tho names of a number of prominent supporters of the Government in Mastertoit—• men who will vote for Ward, no matter what the circumstances. Theso gentlemen are, I believe, without exception, doing everything in their power to assist Mr. Hogg's candidature. Does not this show plainly that Mr. Hogg is the accepted Government candidate, and that the fight in Masterton electorate is .between a Government that is decadent, that has lost the confidence of the people, and that it is at the end of its political , tether, and the young and vigorous Reform party, that has come to the front in this electorate, and that if returned to power, is going to have a chance of doing grent things for this country? The editor of tho "Times" appeneded the following note:—"List of names received. There is no doubt that tho Government supporters in Masterton aro working as they have never worked before to scud Mi\ Hogs back to Parliament." "To the Cold Shades." Tho "Wairarapa Age" says: "Despite tho optimism of tho Prime Minister and his friend?, there is every reason to think that tho second ballot will result in the, relegation of the Government to the cold shades of Opposition, and the placing of Mr. Massey in power with a suiull majority." _____ Hard Hit. Tho "Hawera Star" says: "Tho Govern, tnciii havo beea hit hard by the elections, how hard will not bo definitely known until ihe second ballots havo been decided. Of these there aro so ninny necessary that practically the general election will be again fought out at tho polls nest week. But so far tho absolute losses of the Government reduce tbeir majority to a vanishing point, and among tho lossrs are some prominent men. At best the Government has a very precarious hold of otlice, but it is premature at present to endeavour to forecast the politico) outlook."