The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1907. AN OPPOSITION VICTORY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2081, 16 May 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1907. AN OPPOSITION VICTORY.

The result of tho bye-olection in Taranaki cannot but bo gratifying to a largo number of people all over tho colony ; for tho real issue was not as between the three candidates, or perhaps even as between tho Opposition and tho present Administration—it was a straight-out struggle over tho Land Bill. The vote against the Bill was unequivocal, and should prove a warning to tho Government not to allow tho question to be made tho issuo at any future elections. The Government will 110 doubt claim that tlio victory of Mr. Okey was purely —accidental —that if Mr. Malone had stood down, tho votes recorded for him would have been given to Mr. Dockerill: They will claim that Mr. Dockrill’s votes (1G27) and Mr. Malone’s (1010) represent the true body of public opinion in the Taranaki electorate in favor of the Government, against tho Opposition’s 1991 votes; but such a presumption is altogether unjustifiable. As a matter of fact, Mr. Malone’s votes must bo counted as against the Government, for Mr Malone declined to be bound by the present Government, and was avowedly against the Land Bill —he was only in common with the present Administration in being a Liberal; and it must bo remembered that the party at present in power has nailed the Land Bill flag to its political mast. The Hon. James Carroll,' in speaking after the declaration of the poll, hit one nail on the head when he attributed Mr. Okey’s victory to superior organisation. The present Opposition can boast of an excellent organisation, but the present steps taken to get into power should-, nowise be relaxed from a sense of false security. The rather should that organisation be strengthened and extended, for it is plain that the next general election "dll seo a fight of Trojans, from which the Opposition will issue as victors, if a solid front is presented to the enemy. It may be said that the Taranaki seat is only one of a large nuinbor, and that tlio result there cannot bo supposed to reflect the opinion of tho people of the colony ; but that it does can easily bo demonstrated. Tho defeated Government -candidate was just as.pojmlar as was the lato Mr. E. M. Smith, and would have represented tlio district as well as liis predecessor did ; but the people wlioso influence counts for most afo those whose interests are in tlio land, and in this case they decided that tlieir ’interests were safer in the hands of the Opposition. Mr. Okoy has also received congratulations from all parts of the colony, which shows that tlio election was regarded as one of colonial interest; and after sucli a decisive victory, which indicates in no uncertain way that tlie people of the colony are really desirous of acquiring the freehold, the Opposition should follow up their advantage and keep the people from being again lulled into a state of apathy on the land question by the land tenure sophisms of the present Administration.