WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1929, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

(Special Correspondent.) THE HUTT CONTEST. REFORM TWICE OVERWHELMED. WELLINGTON, Dec. 19. The three-cornered contest for the vacant Hutt seat in the House of Representatives terminated yesterday as most well-informed people expected it, would. There was a close tussle between the Labour and United candidates and overwhelming defeat for the Reform candidate. At ihe time of writing it looks as if the seat will fall to Mr Nash, the Labour candidate, who personally would, be an acquisition to the,/House with whichever group lie might be associated. Mr Kerr is -ia United of the old Liberal type-, vigorous, conscientious and personally popular, but on the patform he is uninspiring. Mr Johnston during the campaign made many personal friends among his political opponents, hut he was the victim of misdirected methods and unhappy advertising. He is typical of the kind of man that is sadly wanted in Parliament at the present time and with the experience he l as gathered during the last few weeks added to a quick vision and an earnest purpose he yet may go far in the public life of the Dominion. His promise to “come again” is, a good omen for the future. THE LICENSING ISSUE. The licensing issue received comparatively little attention during the Hutt election contest from either ihe electors or the candidates. The poll of last year seems to have impressed the electors on botli sides of the issue—or perhaps one should say the three sides of the issue, since there is an alternative to either “National Continuance” or “National Prohibition”—and few of them were disposed to return to the issue after a lapse of little more than a year. Mr Harold’ Johnston, however, on the eip of the polling, expounded the view that as “licensing is now in the hands of the people” it should be left there Avithout any interference from Parliament. ■ But as a matter of fact the issue is not in the hands of the people. It is in the hands of a system of election Which gives Continuance not only the advantage of its own votes but also the advantage of the Votes cast in favour of State Pur- , chase and Control. When Mr Johnston acquaints himself with the facts he doubtless* will realise there still is something for Parliament to do. 'BRICKS. . - The newspapers, very properly, are disallowed by statutory enactment from throwing bricks at candidates for Parliament on the day of an election. Yesterday, hoAvever, the local*morning paper ventured to level a missile or two at the Government which evidently were intended to hit the United candidate in the threecornered contest in the Hutt constituency. “The Hutt electorate,” it said in its leading columns, “is today the touchstone of public opinion, and electors of the district should not miss the opportunity to give a Lad to the country in favour of a return to sounder goA’ernment.” “Public reflections on the administrative work of four other Ministers,” it stated in another editorial, “have been made at various times by the Primp Minister and the latest instance Ts in keeping. Apparently Sir Joseph Ward is blessed with a very docile and long-suffering Cabinet.” This is not “cricket” to use a familiar phrase, and it is not in keeping with the spirit of the law which demands that ah election day critics shall refrain from expressions of party and personal animosity. AFTER THE BATTLE. The ‘iiAnuimion ’ this morning seeks consolation for the defeat of its protege yesterday in the fact that over two thousand of the votes cast for Mr Wilford in the Hutt constituency last year were transferred to the Reform candidate. “Whatever the final result,” it says, “there can he but cold comfort to the administration in the shrinkage of its \’Ote by over 2000 almost Avithin a year.” ' The rent in this camouflage is ob-\-ious enough. At the last tAvo gen? eral elections no Reform candidate has been put up in the Hutt ernstituency. The Reform electors, so they say, ha\-e cast their votes for Mr Wilford rather than risk the return of a Labour candidate. Yesterday they had a candidate of their own in the ftelu, the first since 19-22, and by casting their 2368 votes for Mr Johnston they reduced the United-Liberal vote—not taking the absent votes into account—from 6751 to 463/, a decline of 'only. 2114, notwithstanding the transfer of the 2368 votes to Reform. (On Itlie ‘ [Dominion's” own shoAving the United-Liberal vote in the constituency has increased during the twelve months by 254 Acith the absent votes still to come.