POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 961, 2 March 1911, Page 3

POLITICAL.

A rumour has been about that Dr Findlay has definitely decided to become a candidate for the Marsden electorate. The Whangarei Advocate has been asked to state that, although the AttorneyGeneral has been requested to stand, he will not decide until after his return from his visit to England. Altogether Dr Findlay has been asked to contest elections iu five coustituences, and it is more than probable that he will be a candidate for a seat in the Dower House at the end of the year. It is mure than likely that .Mr McNab Will consent to contest the Palmerston N. seat in the Liberal interests, at the forthcoming general elections. Prior to Mr W. Woods’ retirement, Mr McNab had been approached to lake up the running for the Palmerston N. seat on behalf of the Government, but his honour and loyalty to the party forbade,him jumping another man’s claims. Hastings for a long lime had their eye on the exminister, and it is said that even now should he consent to become the Government candidate in that electorate, his election is assured. There are also a number of other constituencies, which would be pleased to secure the candidature of Mr McNab, but seeing that bis interests are interwoven with Palmerston, what more reasonable than that he should consent to become its candidate ? We should not be surprised, therefore, to hear any day that he has definitely decided to champion the Liberal cause iu our neighbouring electorate. If the Government is returned at the forthcoming elections and Mr McNab succeeds iu gaing the confidence of the Palmerston electors, he is still iu the running for the ministry, and may be, for something higher. It is no use, speculating, suffice it to to say that provided he accepts nomination, the Palmerston electors have in Mr McNab a gentleman whose politics are far above the village-pump order and a man qualified in every respect to follow in the fooisleps of the great proConsul and other leaders of democracy in this fair young land. Palmerston’s Opposition candidate will be Mr W. Buick, the sitting member, who put up such a great fight at the last election against tue Government candidate. It is on record that Palmerston’s Opposition organisation is second to none in the Dominion. Even so, the personal qualifications of the candidates on this occasion present a different factor. There is some talk, too, of Mr J. A. Nash, Palmerston's enterprising and energetic Mayor, coming forward as an Independent candidate. There are plenty of people iu Palmerston who are of opinion that “ Jimmy is the man for Galway ” and has earned his right to a higher place. So he has, but with McNab in the running, his chauce of success, if he stood, would be very small. Yet, one never knows what may happen in an election contest to upset the most careful calculations.

So far as the Manawatu seat Is concerned, it is rumoured that the boundaries will be altered and portion of the north will be included in another electorate. The present electorate is somewhat unwieldy. Anyhow, so far as candidates are concerned, Mr Newman, the sitting Opposition member, is a certain candidate. We are not able to state definitely whether Mr Stevens will again stand in the Liberal interest, but it goes without saying that if he does decide to contest the seat the Government could not well overlook his claims to consideration. Mr Frankland has decided to contest the seat as an Independent Liberal. There may, however, be a surprise in store for the electors.

For the Otaki electorate, Mr Field, the present Liberal member, is again coming forward ; Mr C. A. W. Monckton, of Otaki, has been selected as the Opposition candidate ; Mr Brown will again woo the electors as Independent : and Mr W. Murdoch has definitely decided to stand in the interests of Labour.