HAWKE'S BAY SEATS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2328, 9 December 1914, Page 8

HAWKE'S BAY SEATS

REFORM'S STRENGTH IN THE COUNTRY, (From a Correspondent.) ' • ! Naplor, December 7. The general election in Hawke's Bay has all the' surf ace appearances that "are evident in other portions of the Dominion—the country is solidly . behind tho Government, while the Lit>eral-Lar bour alliance has its strength in the ■towns.. It. is a peculiar fact that in this flourishing province, which after 20 years of Liberal Government .members of' the Opposition still hold up to reproach as a sheepwalk, Sir Joseph Ward should select the two biggest brewers as most likely to appeal to the people. At-the last general'election the only ■-seat.that. the.Liberal Party was able to hold was Napier. This was"not_due : to any particular, liking that Napier had for the Ward Government, but to the' strong hold that the sitting member, Mr. J. Vigor Brown ; has over the town. Mr. Brown is a political curiosity. According to his own story he almost missed nomination'through the action of-the Reform Government. ■■ It appears'that .he lodged his. nomination; paper ( -with the Registrar' without the £10 deposit. He then mot a friend, who informed him. that,his nomination paper without -the deposit was informal. Mr. Brown is devoting the greater part of his.election speeches to a recital of this incident. It is quite an original "scandal," I 'and he. plays it as his tnimp card. The "scandal" lies in the faot that the 'registrar who accepted the nomination paper without the deposit was appointed "by' the Reform Government. ; To hear him viciously attacking the Government for his oversight is too pathetic for words, but rcveakrhis depth as a 'politician. Napier people, however; accept this sort of thing from; Mr. BrOwn,. and although he is .one of the biggest, capitalists in the province Labour organises to return'him to Parliament. The Reform candidate for Napier, Mr. G. W. Venables, is a fine type of selfmade workman, but Labour organises against ; him. Mr. Venables will- poll a solid Reform vote, while'large 6ympa-' thetic support is being'given to him on' account of.the treatment that he is re-, ceiving at the hands of the Red Fed. element.

.-The keenest fight in the province is in Hawke's Bay, where Mr. H; M. Campbell, the- sitting Reform member, is challenged by Dr. M'Nab. At the last election Mr. Campbell' won the seat et the second ballot with a majority of 1000, but he had a weak man against him. Dr. M'Nab has a reputation, .but he cannot be saidto have impressed the electorate. His previous defeats at Mataura arid Palmerston North are against him, Awhile" his candidature gives ♦the impression that'he is trying to make use of Hawke's Bay. Mr. Campbell is ■ a local man and personally very popular, while Dr. M'Nab is a stranger endeavouring to politically ingratiate himself. These facts are likely to, weigh in the contest..'' Dr. M'Nab. has also; to live down the fact that as Ministerof Lands he was a partial failure, and fanners have not forgotten' his "leasehold 'Bill. The Liberals are making a; strenuous at> tempt to return Dr. 'M'Nab; but the feeling in the electorate'that: the Reform Government, should'be' returned to power at all costs will probably prove too strong for them. Mr. Campbell is likely to poll heavily in the country,- arid if he can hold, his own in the town of Hastings,' as there is every probability of'his ( 'domg, ho should win. Dr. M'Nab has to explain why- ho, * Liberal ;Pxohibitionist, is wedged between two Liberal brewers. The electors are hardly likely to accept him as tho rose between two thorns: In, the Waipawa electorate everything points to the return of Mr George Hunter by a large majority] He is being opposed by Mr. A. E. Jull, V°Jj, e \ n 191] - «y a majority of. 669.. Mr. Jull is making a cumbrous attempt to Win the Labour Vote, but.aß: he is a wealthy brewer,- working men are' hardly taking' him seriously, wlfile. the women's vote is likely to bo cast 1 strongly against him. Mr. Hunter has been a hard-working member, and he has a strong personal following.. : Added ,to this, there is the •Reform seutiment in .the .electorate, that has been strengthened owing to the firm'action of tho Government in saving dairy produce during the strike. Tho No-License party are naturally throwing in their support for Mr. Hunter, against Mr. Jull, while theßible-in-Schools League 'are also supporting the, Reform member. ( 'Mr, Hunter is also going to poll a/substantial work-ing-man's vote. He should increaseihis majority. The. Pahiatua. seat calls for little comment.', The sitting member, Mr. J. H. Escott, has a very weak opponent in Mr. J.: D. Mathews. The Liberals counted on Mr. R. B. Ross contesting this seat, but he declined at the last moment, owing, so he has stated, to his not being able to submit to certain "arrangements", that, the party proposed for him. What these ■arrangements' wcro has not been divulged, but it is an oixm secret that .owing to tho independence that IL\_

Ross formerly exhibited when in Par* liament the party proposed to bind hint down by Ann pledges to vote as Sii Joseph Ward desired. Mr. Mathews has had no experience in public life, and he is not making much headway, although the party organiser, Mrl Gallichan, is actively working and speaking on his behalf. Mr. Esoott has proved a useful member, and is a young man of promise. He can only lose his seat through the over-confidence of his supporters.