KEEN INTEREST IN THE CONTEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 34

KEEN INTEREST IN THE CONTEST.

(From Ods Owit Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, September 12.

As polling day draws near interest in. the Rangitikei election is becoming exceedngly keen. Indeed, it is quite safe to say that never before has such interest in politii There will bo no '"pw(v !'> :i c ? Tallin booths, and the voting is likely to be on ■a much larger .scale than at the last general election. The returning officer states that during the 17 years he has resided in the district no election campaign has aroused so much interest as tho present one. Since the late Mr Remington's success at the polls seven years ago, the Government has held the seat, but now there are indications of a considerable change of feeling on the part of the electors, and it is not unlikely that the Reform party may win the fight. The retirement of Air George Hutchison, who loyally agreed to stand down in the interests of the Reform party, will naturally improve Mr Hockly's chances oi success. As in the case of the bye election at Tuapeka, the Government has again selected dates for the pollin that are very unsuitable from the farmers' point of view. For instance, the 16th, which is the date of the first ballot, falls on the date of the Rangitikei Racing Club's meeting at Marton. This fixture is always a popular one with the farming community, and some settlers from a distance who wish to attend it will be unable to record their votes. Then, again, the second ballot, should one be necessary, is fixed for the date of an equally popular race meeting at Wanganui. Effortfa are. however, being made to secure a special train fiom Taihap^ **> Marton

on election day in connection with the races at Marton, but if this cannot brf arranged many of thosb who 1 decide t6 attend the races will not get an opportunity of recording their votes. Thq chances of Messrs' Hornblow '(EiberalLabour candidate) and Georgttti (who, says he is "sitting tight on a- rail "J are not regarded a& of any value. Iri regard to Messrs Meldrnm and Smith, it' is no secret that the Government vot« will go largely to the former, but if h« fails, the Government will be quite ready to take up Mr Smith, The amusing thing in this connection is that both candidates are supporters of the freehold, and the fact that the Government, which only a little while ago nailtd ita colours to the mast in the battle for leasehold, is finding either candidate "fully satisfactory" is causing some perturbation in the ranks of their Social' istic and ultra-Radical supporters. How the leasehold Ministerial journals will square the Government's precept with/ its practice is a puzzle, but the Post, ■ivhich nowadays leans mainly towards the Government, referring to the Ministerial telegrams to the Liberal candidates, says : " Tht, method 'ndicated by these Rangitikei telegrams must bo unique in the annals of political tergiversation. Two years ago the land laws of thb country were placed by the Go-^ vernment in their present position. Afc the general election Ministers stood for , the maintenanct of the status quo. Ever since then, though the enemy has been prepai-ing for attack, they^ have maintained a rigid siltnce on the subject. Now, however, they leave it to be inferred that they are contemplating a betrayal which tht,y have never before dared to avow, or even to hint. If the popular cause is to be betrayed we are at least entitltd to ask that it shall be done openly. What we may perhapsr be permitted to call an honest betrayal would bh far preferable to the silent, secret, timid, and evasive surrender which appears to be in progress."