The Sectarian Issue.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 20 December 1901, Page 3

The Sectarian Issue.

Government Candidate Defeated

(Special to Star.)

Dunedin This Day,

Though |the result of Caversham poll was not officially declared till a quarter to nine, I was enabled to advise you nearly half an hour earlier that Sidcy had been elected with Earnshaw a good second. But for the delay in bringing the Caversham returns to tho main polling booth, Mr Dodds whose arrangements were excellent would have been in a position to declare the result before half past eight. Surprise was caused by tho position occupied by Earnshaw, who had only come down from Wellington a fortnight ago, but who had made tremendous headway owing t-> his pronounced attitude on the religious question. There can be no doubt that he was a tremendous thorn in the side of Hally, the selected labor and ministerial candidate, and the result shows that Earnshaw’s statement that Hally was in favor of State aid to Catholics was accepted in preference to other candidates avowal to the contrary.

Warren polled so poorly that even had there been no split in tho labor camp Hally’s position would have been unaltered.

As a matter of fact, it was openly stated during the afternoon that the vote of Hillside Railway Workshops hands would be divided between Sidey and Earnshaw, and such would appear to have been the case despite the fact .that the city influence on Hally’s behalf ■, and only last evening addressed an open air meeting in his favour.

My surmise as to the result of the Caversham election proved to be correct. Before the writ was issued I predicted that with the inevitable split in the labor camp over the choice by the Workers’ Political Committee, Mr Sydey’s return seemed inevitable and in my final summing up of the position on Tuesday last I anticipated that the returning officers’ placing would be fcidey 1, Halley 2, Earnshaw 3.

The other three candidates all failed to save their deposit money. When Mr Earnshaw attempted to return thanks after the declaration of the poll he had a very mixed reception, several unsavoury eggs being discharged and eventually he addressed himself to the reporters. He said that the verdict of the Caversham electors proved that the Government had a case to answer. The charges of misfeasance he had levelled with regard to] public service were re-echoed in the hearts of 1,515 of the Caversham electors, and this was an indication of what was in the hearts and consciences of the electors of New Zealand, He came to the election like "a bolt from blue” and occupied an honorable“position as second on the poll, considering the circumstances that he had been away for five years. He dared to say that the charges ho had made on the platform of his election were true, and he challenged the Government, even in face of his defeat, as he would have done were he victorious, before a proper tribunal to test his utterances, and see whether they were true or false.