The Daily News FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24. THE RANGITIKEI ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 197, 24 September 1909, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24. THE RANGITIKEI ELECTION.

Not fur many years has -so much inl-'--est been uiniiifustcil in a political elcc lion as in the contest for the Rangitikei seat. Xor has there been one in which the rival political leaders have taken cjiieli an active and prominent "flic contest for the Taranaki seal a couple of .years ago ago was fought on vigorous enough lines, hut compared with the struggle that the ltangitikci has witnessed during the pa.st week the event was insignificant. Mr. Masscy and Mr. Geo. Hutchison, set the hall rolling, arid as soon as the mail train could land them, tire Hem. Jas. Millar and the Hon. fT. Mackenzie were in the district addressing meetings in defence of the Government. Later other leading Oppositionists took the field and more Ministers followed. Verily, it has I>ecn a mighty struggle—a trial of strength between the Government and the Opposition, and the verdict has gone to the Government, who must re gard it a* a vole ol confidence, all tho more significant and valuable at a time when their star was commonly believed to be on thu wane. In discussing the figures of the first ballot, we stated that Mr. Hockley had to show a biggei majority to make his election reasonably probable at the second ballot. We took it that the votes recorded in favor of the Liberal candidate would go t« the (ioverii'iient candidate in the final struggle. This evidently is what has happened, Jjctween them—Smith, Meldruni and Hornblow—they received 2291 votes. Mr. Smith at yesterday's po'l secured 2-1114, or 113 more than the total Liberal votes recorded at the first ballot. But there were 2.10 more votes registered in the second ballot—a fact but serving to attest tin- tremendous in. terest evoked—and with these divided Mr. Smith's extra 113 is accounted for. Mr. Hockley evidently gained Mr. Georgetti's independent' vote, but did not improve his position in any other respect, excepting that he secured half of the new vote. The case of both parties was never placed more fully or ably before .any constituency, and' the result is one over which the Government may well feel satis-lied, and will not .be without its> influence on the trend of public affairs.