THE BY-ELECTION

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1918, Page 5

THE BY-ELECTION

DEFEAT OF GOVERNMENT CANDIDATE. MR. SMITH'S MAJORITY 160. The voting in connection with the byelection for the vacant Taranaki Beat proceeded yesterday without much incident. The supporters of 'both candidates appeared very active, and vehicles Were out in all directions, both parties working under patriotic colors. The arrangements made by th,e returning officer (Mr. .Tames Jordan) and carried out by his staff, worked smoothly throughout the day, and the fact

that the final returns were made known by about half-past eight showed that the officials were well versed in their duties, and made their returns with despatch. The arrangements made for displaying the returns in Queen Street from the balcony of the White Hart Hotel attracted the crowd there, and when the result was made known there was a dense pack of people present. \ The crowd was addressed by Mr D, •McLaren, on behalf of the Red Cross appeal. Throughout the time of waiting for the results to be shown those in the street were in a thoroughly goodmatured mood, and as the figures showed the favored candidate in the lead the .supporter:! gave vent to their feelings of satisfaction by cheering. It was evident, however, that Mr. Smith had a preponderance of supporters in the crowd, and as tbe later returns began to indicate tbe certainty of his return, ■their enthusiasm increased until, when the final figures were shown, giving Mr. Smith a substantial majority, they broke into prolonged cheering, which prevented Mri Smith ?rom speaking for some little time. 1(0' Following are the details of the .voiing: /A?, [LJ-jH Comiett Smith

Majority for Smith, 160. CANDIDATE'S ADDRESS. Mr S. G. Smith said he had to thank ■the electors of Taranaki for the honor they had done him. The result of the election was a victory for democracy When he consented to contest the seat he recognised that the fight waa to he the people's fight, and to-day, therefore, i the victory was the people's victory. | They had fought the power and influence of the National Government, vested i interests, and the press, and they had won. (Cheers.) He forgave those who had opposed him.. He believed the unfair attacks of the newspapers had assisted to put him in the proud position in which he stood. (Voices; Rub it in) It was sufficient ndv he continued, that he had won. He tbanked them for it. Even the Inglewood paper had opposed him) and he was going to Inglewood immediately to thank the editor of that paper for what he had done. (Laughter.) He even thanked the correspondents attacking him, who had names tlmt they were ashamed of The confidence the electors had shown in him would not be misplaced. He represented the people. He then expressed thanks' to the chairman of his committee, and to the members of the committee, who, lie said, were not extremists. The only extreme measure they had taken was to ensure his election. He would do all in his power to advance the interests of tlie district. He would help the Harbor Bill through Parliament. Whatever lie did for-Tara-naki, however, would not affect the cost of living in Sweden. (Laughter.) His winning the election did not mean that the war would be lost. It was, in fact, the labor people of the world who were, winning the war. Concluding, Mr Smith said he readily forgave all who, had opposed him except those who had maliciously assailed his wife He said a leader of a Christian church in the community had done that, and he would not forgive him. (A voice: Name him.) Mr. Smith said he would name,him, not at the present moment. He concluded with another expression of thanks, and, ,at i.is call, cheers were given for Mr. Connett. j

Mr. J. S. Connett, who was also cheered, expressed his thanks to all who had supported him. lie knew when he entered the contest that it would bw a big fight, and he had never under-estimated his opponent, whom he knew was securing the support of a large section of the community. Although he was beaten he had the satisfaction pf knowing that the contest had been fought cleauly. At the outset he and Mr. Smith lu\d shaken hands and agreed to fight cleanly, and they had shaken hands again juat then in recognition that the fight had been clean. He admitted that he had been fairly beaten, and lie hoped that if he ever again contested an election it would be conducted in the same friendly spirit. He again thanked his committee and supporters, and, at his call, cheers were given for Mr. Smith.

THE FINALE. Mr. Smith then called for cheers for the returning officer and his staff, and these were heartily given, and even more joyous were those given for the boys at the front. Cheers were ajeo given for Mr. Smith's ladies' committee. The National 4bU'o» was then aung, »}l4 aftep further wscfeuigp of goodhumored compliment?i feftwqqr thq varying factions the crowd, which was very i ttawghq»t. the Tt&pfc jgecsedi ■ - 1 .u'm*

m MR. S. 0. SMITH, M.P, Mr. Smith is a native of Kfriiliffißwß mouth, having been born in the 1870. He is the 7th son of thu 'inita- mBM E. M. Smith, who represented for many years in the House of sentatives. He was eSucafcefl Central School, and after spent a little time in ■ farming was subsequently, apprenticed served his time at, the trade. Soon after the eompletiooaiOiSll® term of apprenticeship he railway service, and has been cmjriWSiijß in the traffic department right up fo-"pPw time of his resignation .for the pil3mipfs| of contesting the olcction, at which ,, he was storeman in the local goodie d£sjK partroent. Early in his the service he took a keen the men's organisation, and for ; 'fouHspjjS years h':is been a member of the executive of the A.S.R.S., and past two years has held office bu'Hje tional executive of the society. ,H)j hS been a member of the Central ,S&sa|||| Committee for the past six ytj&rrf,. four years of which he has filled tita p<ft sition of chairman. He'took, a proimniftjlf part in the formation of the Tar&aKS School Committees' Association four years ago, and hag held the jn|M dency of that association from its lishmont up to th? present lame. Smith has been a member of thej^i^ffij naki Education Board for over and was re-elected as & raprewlsSiw*® of the newly-formed urban area- of Plymouth at the recent eIecUOTIII board members. He has taken est interest in educational matters/ "ffflj™ has done much to fra-ther their not only in Taranaki Ibut in ,a wider sphere. He has alio been bar of tho Board of Governors ofv ffipfljll New Plymouth High Schools for the'l#^ two years, and is a member of the NMlfi Plymouth Technical College AdT3soS§M|j Committee. He has never previffijsl^^ffl contested a Parliamentary eJectW*:'7^f§

CaurUiouae 684 013 Coronation Hall ...... 289. 530 West End School 128196. Albert Road ia 9 BeU $lock 143 73 Careliijftoa Road 30 15 Hillsborough i 44 '23 Egmont Village .40 30 Fitmoy 235 188 Frankley Road ., 58 29 Hurford Road 9 8 Hursthouae Road 13 2' ■' Inglewood 227 276 Junction Road 24 ' .2 Kalmlro 16 10 Upland Road 38 3 IS 66 ?2 Lepperton 17 Lower Mangor* 1 ... •20 20 Moturoa 41" 120. Oakura ........ 42. 29 Okato y. 93 80 Omata ""' 81 ,»1. Upper Carrington Roa^ 1 1 Punlho «... 10 10 Tataraimaki" 69 37 Upper Rent Road - «....« 22 15 TJnne> Manzoroi 17 14 VogeUowr. ■ nw -- 111 52 Wolongona -, IT 10 Weatown .... 83 55 2680 2340