THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 281, 21 November 1908, Page 6

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

SECOND BALLOT CAMPAIGNS, j; WELLINGTON NORTH. By Telegraph .—Press Association. Wellington, Friday. Those who supported Mr C. 11. Izard at the election for Wellington North have decided to throw in their lot with Mr F. U. Bolton in the contest with Ml A. L. Herdman for the second ballot. TLMARU. Timaru, Friday. The Political Labour League, whose candidate, Mr Roller, was defeated on the first ballot, passed a resolution by I 31) votes to 13 expressing the opinion that the interests of the Labour Party would lie best served by the election of Mr Craigie, tire Government candidate, and urging the Labour Party to vote '» his favour. A committee was appointed to act in conjunction with Mr Craigie's committee in prosecuting the campaign.

LYTTELTON. Lyttelton, Friday. The official scrutiny shows the voting for Lyttelton electorate as follows: G. Laurcnson (G.) 15082; Dr. Thaeker 1 (0.) 2789; informal 51. OPPOSITION VIEWS IN PALMERS TON. Palmcrston North, November 18. 11l the course of a Press interview. .Mr. Martin, Opposition organiser, stated that he considered that the very large increase, of votes recorded in the Dominion is a striking testimony to the able manner in which Mr. Massey, the Leader of the Opposition, and his colleagues in the House had upheld the policy which they considered best for the welfare of the Dominion as a whole. He deprecated the cost of the numerous second ballots, winch he thought would cost the country an extra £IO.OOO besides loss ot time and inconvenience tt the electors. Speaking from a part*, point of view, he looked upon the defeat of the Minister for Lands by e straight-out Opposition candidate as a great triumph for his party and for tin freeholders throughout the Dominion. Another significant fact was the success of every Opposition member of the last Parliament who went to the poll. With one or two exceptions, Mr. liuick, Op position member for Pahwrston, ob tained majorities at all booths in the electorate, and his final election was looked upon as assured. LESSONS OF THE ELECTIONS. PRESS OPINIONS. j

With regard to the result of the elections, the l'ost (ail Opposition journal) says: —"We were not without hope that the general elections would make for the good government of the country, but similar hopes have been disappointed on so many previous occasions tlu\t we had no sanguine expectations as to the result. It is, therefore, with the mnrt satisfaction that we note the very wholesome lesson which the electors have ad ministered to the politicians. We have never attempted to minimise the bene? fits conferred upon the country by the party whose long lease of power has now received a further extension of three years, but tin- very excellence Of the work which the party has accomplished has lad its inevitable drawbacks. An attractive legislative programme, a ' faculty for guaging the popular humor on things great and small, and the negative attitude of the Op-position, have combined to endow' the Govern ■ ment party with a power far too great to be safely entrusted to any man or • any set of men. In the interests of the party itself, no less thai! of the coun- ' try, this absolutism should have been put an end to long ago, but one general ' election after another has aggravated the evil. At last, however, a salutary check has come. The Government has again a substantial majority, as even the most sanguine of its opponents recognised to be inevitable, but the maI joritv is smaller than it was, and in respect of the independence and ability; of the members, the new House of Representatives will stand on a far higher level than that which was elected thrie. years ago. The most interesting single r event of the campaign is the defeat Mr. McNab, the Minister for Lands, in' what, till a few weeks ago, was regarded as his absolutely impregnable stronghold of Mataura. With less concern ' we notice the disappearance of Mr. Major, who distinguished himself a fenweeks ago that if they returned hiin he might secure a portfolio. That possibility b n»w postponed sine die. The defeats of .Messrs. A. L. 1). Eraser, Hornsbv and Svmes are also remarkable events. Mr. Kidd, who, though not so well known personally, held the important official .position of chief Government Whip, has also lost his seat, but as lie has been defeated by a rival Government candidate the result involves 110 change in the balance of parties." KEELING IN CHRISTUIUKCII. The Press (Opposition) in dealing with the elections, says: "The result is that the Opposition is materially strengthened, both in numbers and personnel, and it is possible that when the second ballots are decided we shall find a further addition to its numbers. The most severe blow sustained by the Gov--eminent is undoubtedly the defeat of Jfr. MeNab, the Minister for Lands and Agriculture. We cannot but regard this verdict pronounced by a country constituency as an emphatic condemnation of Mr. McNab's action in faltering with; the principle of the freehold. Although Sir Joseph Ward will still have a substantial working majority, he will not find his course entirely plain sailing. J He has to till the vacancy hi hi* Cabinet caused by the resignation of Mr. Ha:l-1 Jones, Unless Mr. McNab is elected for some other seat vacated for his benefit, which is extremely unlikely, or is called to the Upper House, the Prime Minister will also have to select a now Minister for Lands. He will Jind the task of reforming his Ministry one of no little difficulty, and we look forward to the next session of Parliament as likely to prove full of interest." The Lyttelton Times (Government) remarks that the serious feature of the election is the defeat of the Hon. 11. McNab in Mataura—"a defeat that deprives the Dominion of the services of one of the most capable of politicians, a clear-headed thinker, and a splendid administrator."

MR M'NAB'S DEFEAT. Mr M'Nab appeared to take his defeat at the hands of the Mataura elector very philosophically. "A good, hard, clean light," was Mr M'Xab's description of the contest. He admitted that lie had practically been beaten all along the line, and instanced Gore as a case where the polling had gone strongly against him instead of proving the stronghold which it had formerly been for him. llis committee, he said, had bten too optimistic with regard to that town, where they had anticipated he would poll a majority of votes, and, at another booth (Daere), where they had hoped matters would go in his favour, he only polled five votes to his opponent's forty-seven. As to any explanation of his defeat, the Star says that one contributing cause may 'lie set. down as this : That his absorption in Ministerial duties made him too much of a stranger in his own electorate. A- ; gain, the Government came in for some criticism from a section in Gore over some parochial matters In which a school and a reserve were concerned. Nov must it be forgotten that the Mataura electorate is one which takes a peculiar interest in the Meikle case, and from sundry indications it would appear that the polling was influenced by the fac-t_ of Mr M'Nab's connection with a Ministry that mooted a material alirount being paid to Meikle by wav of compensation. WHO WILL BE MINISTER ? The liveliest question of all in the minds of farmers just now is : '• Who will be the new Minister for Agriculture The singular lack of si roug farming representatives in the House conies keenly upon one's appreciation wbe;i one 'tries to count off suitable men to hold the most important of New Zealand's portfolios (says The Dominion). An impression prevails in some

quarters tliut tile responsible post will i be offered to Mr A. W. Hogg, tiie Member for Masterton. Mr Hogg, although! a journalist, has long taken a great inI terest in the great agricultural industry, and his location i-,i the midst of one of the most progressive farming districts of New Zealand has doubtless helped him to keep abreast of the times. Indeed, it lias been rumoured that on former occasions he Ims been made a candidate for the portfolio.