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Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1921, Page 2

TliK professed mniidrnfv of th<* Reform newspapers in regard to the resuit of tin* iinpeudinp; Auckland Hast bye-election is not ivihvU'd in tin* I’rinu* Minster's altitude towards tin* contest. Mr Massey evidently is iipivoiit about the result. lie feels, no

doubt, that defeat on this otra.Miii! would be a very grievous blow to tho prestige iu* established at Homo, and to his “ninna” in tliis ewuntry. Tin* precautions lu* is taking to avoid suoh | a catastrophe an 1 <jui l l» *\xtinordinary. Uo has dolayod making any | precise statement in tho House con-j oornino liis economy pro|H»sa.]s lost I some of tho supporters of tho Reform candidate should take alarm. Ho desires th<* assistant-*' of the civil servants as ardently as he desires lb»» help of the economists. He |V «•*>- queuing with the two parties to the tot-alisator controversy v because the votes of both of them will he acceptable.$ In .short, la* is U*arino hiinso|f ax if his whole political existence wore at stake, not merely the possession of a single seat in I’arlkfment The prospoels of the contest have not

\avn Vi'i’y eb'arly*. defined by any of tin* ‘‘tipster*’’. Mr Chitlin Mackenzie is not (|iiiti* such a pieturesqtie figure on the platform as In* was at the general election. Mr Lee, the Labour candidate, also is a war hero, with a longer service record, and a lost arm, a better speaker and more obviously sincere. The Hoy. («'. \V. Russell, the Liberal candidate, is. of course, the more experienced and tin* better equipped of tin* lour candidates, but as a member of the National Cabinet he gave Auckland some frank advice about the of its slums and the ‘‘Queen City** is still resenting his candour. Mr Foster, the Independent candidate, is expect- , i»e to gather up the votes of the disgruntled electors who have pronounced a plague upon the other three

candidates, but* his chances of success are j discounted severely bv people on the > spot, and probnhi.v Mr lav is the most likely to defeat the admirable organisation and feverish activities of the Reform forces. t mmmmmmm mmmm