HAWKE'S BAY ELECTION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3012, 24 February 1917, Page 8

HAWKE'S BAY ELECTION

MUCH FEELING BEING DIS- ' PLAYED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Hastings, February 23. The National Government's compact) for the respective parties in the event of a by-election to accept the_nomina r tion of the candidate supporting the. party of. the one whose retirement or death created the vacancy, is npt bringing Hawke's -Bay the political peace and harmony .that the leaders intended. The Reform organisers here are honourably standing by the agreement entered into/by.the Prime Minister, but the large'-mimber-of-. the" rank and file are very dissatisfied.with the'-.position, and resent being asked to vote for a candidate', imported'.'ffo'ni; •'Wellington or for a local man who has not their sympathies. - Mtsiy - Reformers have declared their .intention '... to abstain from going to the .poll.- • Discontent is also rampant in tlia Liberal camp; and a considerable section . have threatened 'to _ break away, and not : support.the official candidate, they being dissatisfied with .the Tneth,ods which have been adopted in his selection. . Altogether a good deal of feeling is being displayed,'.and it i 3 questionable.wheth'er the so-called truce will not engender more bitterness than would an election fqught on party lines in normal times. ; In the meantime the candidates" are making the best use they, can of the short time allowed for electioneering. .Mr., Simson opened his platform campaign at Wairoa. this evening, and Sir John Findlay makes his first .appearance before the Hastings electors on Monday, night. Mr. A. L. D. Fraser meets his supporters to-, night: and is l expected to decide whether he will or 'will not nominate. MR. FRASER TO STAND. Mr. A'. L. D. Fraser has.decided t<j contest the Hawke's Bay seat. •