PAHIATUA ELECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1600, 19 August 1916, Page 3

PAHIATUA ELECTION.

MR. a IT. SMITH RETPRNED,

The (“lection to til! the vacant seat in the House of Representatives caused liy the death oi; .Mr d. H. Escott, took place on Thursday, and resulted in the return of Mr (1. IT. Smith, the nominee of the National Government, who has a majority of S 3 over his closest opponent, Mr R. Ik Ross. The total voles polled numbered 3,200, as against a total poll of 5,043 votes when Mr Escott was returned at the last general election.

The results are as follow: — G. 11. Smith 1521 R. B. Ross 143 S G. D. MacFarlane 2 11 The above is the final result. The voting at the last general election was as follows; — J. 11. Escott (R.) 2872 J. E. Mathews (O.) 2171 Reform majority 701 The result of the above' elec!ion, in the Wellington Post's opinion, really rellects the popular mind with substantia) accuracy. The people are in no mood for party politics just now. Their interest in the real war is too absorbing to permit of their sparing time and attention for a parly campaign. They accordingly favour a, National Government as the only guarantee of the domestic peace which is a, necessary condition of the due concent ration of the national strength upon the prosecution of the war. They therefore support the Government now in office, as they supported it a year ago, hut tile enthusiasm with which

they (lien regarded it is not so great. They support the Government as a means In an end, as a safeguard against the danger's of division in the face of the enemy. But the most ardent champion of unity cannot overlook the fact that a Government which though representing both the principal parties seems in some of its recent performances to have pooled their weak points rather than their strong ones. The chilled enthusiasm of a people which is still faithful to its National Government is reflected in some measure in the contest at Pahiatua.