POLITICAL CRISIS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 164, 17 December 1914, Page 4

POLITICAL CRISIS

GOVERNMENT WITHOUT A MAJORITY. #.V.I TWO SEATS GONE. THE HAWKE'S BAY SEAT, A WIN FOR fIHE OPPOSITION. ' By Telegraph.—Per Press Association, Hastings, Last Night. It is understood that the re-count ' places Dr. McNab in the lead, with %. majority of 17 votes. When interviewed, the returning-officcr declined t<j make an official statement, merely re* plying, "Where there's smoke there'! • lire 1 ." In the original count Dr. McNab w»i----217 votes behind H. M. CampbeU, DE. McNAB WINS. ' BY NINE VOTES. 1 Hastings, Midnight. Tile result of filie recount is that Dj iH:Nab heads the poll. The returning 'ofliter's official figures are:— M«Nab .« .. .„ 4226 Campbell .. ~ (< 4210 ' Majority for McNab .« 9 The announcement was loudly cheeref by Dr McNab's supporters. NORTHERN MAORI SEAT. HENARE A SUPPORTER OJ? THE OPPOSITION. By some misunderstanding which ha»1 arisen over the Northern Maori seat; (says the New Zealand Times), Taut. 1 Henare, who headed the poll by some 1 200 votes, has been described up till thepresent as a supporter of the ''Reform"1 party. This, however, lias been a mere' ; deduction made in Wellington, as in thef 1 North. It is understood that Hcnarei has repeatedly stated he was a follower)' of Sir Joseph Ward. At the kainga, atwhich lie was selected as a candidate, it 3 was understood that the Maori women,). ' who had most to do with his nominal ? tion, insisted that lie should follow the I footsteps of Te Rangihiroa, and stand in the Liberal interest. According toisome advices from the North received privately in Wellington, Mr. Henare baa" expressed himself within the past days as a supporter of the Liberals, while- ■ in "Reform" circles this is modified by, the statement that he is pledged to neither side If the latter is the case, ha"is most likely to follow the Liberals, as- " an overwhelming majority of the votes II cast in this electorate was in the LibcraL interest. A further complication with regard tdf . '■> the Northern Maori seat is announced* ,l " The Independent Liberal candidate! Mr*. . S Nau Paraonc Kawiti, says it is his in« 11 tention to lodge a protest, and apply for; e a fresh poll, on the grounds that at ser« * cral of the gazetted polling places, in> " eluding Takahiwai, Whangaruru, KaJ- * khoe, and Kareto, there was no Euro* ! " pean returning.oflicer present to take a '* record of votes. Many natives presented themselves, but had to go away without their votes being recorded on this ac- ;' count, and it was then too late to repair; - ' to any other polling place. This would represent approximately 450 votes, the k " majority of which, <Mr. Nau Paraone- , Kawiti contends, would have been in hi* ;■-' favor, thus returning him at the top of i the poll. " The final figures for the scat are og,j foUbw.— . " s. Tau Henare (?) „■ ~.... .. 909 ' 11 Hemi Te Paa (L) .. 708 , >s Riapo Tinioto Puhipi (G) .. .. 694 Nau Paraone Kawiti (1.L.).... 692 18 Hemi Papakakura (L) 359 s. TeWake (L) .. ~ 216 G. Paraone Hoori (I) 196 Ngawaka (L) 183 Majority for Henare .. ... 201 THE IPATEA SEAT. _• Hawera, Last Night. 'The Patea seat official re-count gives—rPearce .. 3SBB Morrison , 3270 ', Informal ffl !. Of the absent votes, 71 went to Pcaroe* 1. and 75 to Morrison, j. This increases Mr. Pearcc's lead by IB votes. n THE MATAURA RECOUNT. d »' Wellington, December 16. d The official recount in the Mataura a election resulted: Anderson 2908, Me* hall'ey 2734, informal 29. b J I STRATFORU SEAT. Stratford, December 16. f The official declaration of the poll , gives Mr Hine 2556 and Mr Hawkint ! 2210, informal 56. .1 ~ 1 'WHAT WILL HAPPENS 1 The feeling in Government circles in c Wellington is strongly divided as to ' what procedure should be followed by the "Reformers" in face of the present ' position of parties, A member of the ' Government party, in conversation with a Times representative, said he was con* tident that the best course for the Government was to make an immediate appeal to the country, for lie believed that the people would swell the Government's majority to make their position a stable one on the Treasury benches. In view of this being the decision, he telegraphed to his election committee to meet, andl make sure that the preliminary arrange* incuts for another campaign conld be completed at short notice. Other candidates are making themselves secure in this way, too, for there is such uncertainty in the whole position as to render such a course a wise precaution, ASHBURTON LICENSING FIGURES. Ashburton, Last Night. The official local option figures are:— For restoration, 3511; uon-restoration, 2611.