BY-ELECTION ON THURSDAY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 1, 27 September 1920, Page 4

BY-ELECTION ON THURSDAY

BAY OF PLENTY SEAT MR. F. J. LYSNAR ANNOUNCES INDEPENDENCE Polling in the Bay of Plenty by-elec-tion is to take place on Thursday next. Tho candidates are Mr. K. S. Williams (Rofofin) and Mr. li". J. Lysnar (Independent Liberal). Mr. Lysnar has been claimed as a supporter of Mr. Wilford, the Loader of the official Liberal group in the House, but his election manifesto indicates that ho regards himself as unpledged. Ho has stated hie position as follows:— Whilst a supporter of the true cause of Liberalism and an upholder of the Tights of tho people, I wish to make it perfectly clear that I stand bound to no party, claiming the right to exercise my vote in the interests of fair play and justice to the people aa n whole. . . . Changes in our political constitution and government are imminent; evidences of this are not invisible. Let us hope that a strong national party will arise. . . . , Both the candidates aTe stating on tho platform that the time before polling day is too short to enable them to mako completo toura of the electorate. The Bay of Plenty district is a particularly large one, with poor communications, and the candidates have been finding it difficult to move about. Mr. Williams lias carried an additional handicap in tho form of a very bad cold, which delayed the start of his campaign. Laat week Mr. Lysnar, the Independent Liberal candidate, made an attempt to visit Opotiki. Ho was accompanied by Sir James Carroll, who is working hard on Mr. Lvsnar's behalf. A slip on the" road forced the candidate and his chief supporter to leave, their car and proceed on foot. They covered about six miles of very muddy road and finally found shelter at a settlement without having reached Opotiki. The district returning officer stated at the end of last week that there might bo difficulty on piling day regarding the electoral rolls. These rolls were printed at Opotiki. which is the official centre of the Bay of Plenty electorate. They were finished on Tuesday, and arrangements were made then to convey ft supply to Gisborne for distribution to some 65 polling places, many of tlieni in tho back country. A flooded river blocked the vehicle carrying the rolls, which reached Gisborne too late for some of the ordinary mails. The returning officer made special arrangements for delivery, but he indicated that if bad weather was experie'A'l early this week some of the poll*? booths might bo without copie&of tho roll on polling day.