THE RANGITIKEI BYE-ELECTION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 192, 17 September 1909, Page 2

THE RANGITIKEI BYE-ELECTION

More than usual interest is attached to the Rnngitikui hyc*clection, chicllv i>ucause of the opportunity it affords oi gnawing or testing the political feeii .of the country. Since the general ('leulion, entirely new and unforeseen con ditions have arisen, brought about to a large extent by the depression prevad'"c) depression all the more marked on account of it succeeding a period »f unprecedented progress and prosperity, Xp Government is popular in time of adversity. The public,' or !]0 pniail proportion, run away -with the idea that the Government are wholly or partly responsible for the prevailing state of ail'airs. 171 New Zealand's case it was not to be expected that the Government's action in applying the pruning knife to the civil service and "drawing m their horns" in matters uf public expenditure, at a time when the unemployed cry was heard—a cry hauiv'y not heard for years and vears befool would contribute to their popularity But .mdgipg from the results of the first ballot of the present bye-eloction tne Government have not suffered in the estimation of electors to'the ext'-nt commonly anticipated, though it has 10 be said that t,lie Rangitikvi electorate has always i n the p as £ been strung pro-Government, and therefore the deeton does not furnish the beet means i.t ascertaining public opinion on mat'-Ts political. -Ml'. Hoclilcj', being the only Opposition candidate, was a, Warm favorite, but only polled -||)|| Vl) ' t tluin Mr. Smith; the next candidal who stood in the Liberal iuLcn.'-ts \lr' 1 Meldruin, another Liberal candidlto' i was a good third, the other two candid- 1 »tos, Messrs Georgelli and llornblow, 1 whp stood respectively in the Indepod- ] cut and Liberal and Labor interests 1 being low down on the, list. To have : made his election at tile second ba'U 1 /'catsouably jdoha life, Air. Hockley had lo 1 *l,o\y a much greater margin. Even if 'J 1 he obtain ?1) the votes that were cast for the independent candidate, he wi 1 1 be "a considerable distance behind Mr. S Smith, that is, providing the votes that 1 went to Mr. Mcldrum ami Mr. Horablwv

arc registered in hi? favor. One, however, cannot jilace very much reliance in the consistency of voters at the sec ond ballot, as was so forcibly dirndlJtrated at the List general elections, when several seats that looked like easy victories for the Government eandi'laten were annexed without difficulty by | the Opposition. The contest seems to I have been fmight without incrimination land on broad and friendly lines, and it is to he hoped the campaign during ',he | next week between. Mr. Hockley and | .Mr. Smith will be conducted in a simi- ! l.ir fashion. The result of the second | iwllot will he awaited with considerable I interest throughout the Dominion.