The Daily News MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23. THE EGMONT ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 282, 23 November 1908, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23. THE EGMONT ELECTION.

Of the second ballots to lie taken to- ;| morrow, none will excite, in Taranaki j at any rate, the amount of interest . centred on the result of the liginoiit ( poll. Egmont has distinguished itself ] by providing the only second ballot m the province, and is now being looked to by Government supporters to save j one Taranaki seat at least (excluding ( Tnumarunui, which is partly outside this province) from the Opposition. Jf this is to be achieved, it will not be without a desperate effort. An analysis of the figures at last Tuesday's poll shows that t lie two Opposition candidates between them polled 2031 votes to 2004 votes secured by the two tiov-

eminent candidates. While it would appear, therefore, that the Opposition is in a majority of 507 in the electorate, it is claimed that a large .section of the No-License vote which originally went to Mr. Wilkinson will to-morrow support Mr. Wake. -Mr. Wake's chances of election are further enhanced by the fact that some difficulty will he experienced in consolidating 011 Mr. Dive the vote (irrespective of the No-License vote) secured by Mr. Wilkinson. That there is reasonable ground for the assumption should be evident to anyone who followed the pi ogress of the lOgmoiit campaign. The split in the Government vote in 'iaranaki electorate was a mere circumstance to the cleavage between the Opposition supporters of iiessis. Dive and Wilkinson in Kgmont. As a matter of fact. Mr. Wilkinson was 1 far more crushing in his criticism of I Mr. Dive than of the Government candidates, a nd although Mr. Wilkinson has now thrown the weight of his influence 011 the side of the gentleman he has but lately been ridiculing, it would be passing strange if bis supporters as a body were as easily to swallow their convictions.

Eltliam and district have always been looked upon as having a keen eye to the main chance, and the significant fact that 'J'aran.tki, Stratford, and Paten are now represented by Opposition members has not been lost sigiit ol ill Egmonl, where it is argued that the district would have everything to gain ill being the only one in the province returning 11 Government supporter. Particularly it is hoped that the prospects of the Opuiiake railway would thereby be improved, and the iixing ol Ml hum as the junction made reasonably safe. 11l this and other ways local considerations will tell very largely in to-mor-row's contest, which will provide a much closer finish than a casual perusal of the tigures would indicate, irrespective of party altogether, Tarunaki would be the gainer by returning to Parliament & young man of Mr. Wake's ability. Having built up in Eltliam and Kaponga a very successful legal business, being essentially a country mail, and having the further advantage of possessing a fluent and effective platform delivery, his election need cause no misgiving. Mr. Dive, however, is a candidate whose chances cannot be discounted. As the Farmers' Union candidate, successful director of the Egmont Box Factory, Eltliam Dairy Company, and other concerns in which farmers are interested, he has a very strong following. He is not a very keen student of politics, however, as' Mr. Wilkinson showed 111 a recent manifesto in which he set out Mr. Dive's "Yes-Xo" attitude towards many of the leading questions of the dav. It appears to us that while the Opposition would be strengthened numerically by the return of Mr. Dive, by Mr. Wake's selection the House would be the gainer. Jlr. Wake is much imore likely to make his mark in politics than is his opponent, and on the broad grounds of personal fitness tor the position should he returned at the head of the poll.