THE PATEA SEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1922, Page 5

THE PATEA SEAT.

A DIFFICULT POSITION. THE PROSPECTS DISCUSSED. REFORM’S PREDICAMENT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Hawera, Yesterday. Reform is doing its best to lose the Patea seat. Neither Mr. Dixon nor Mr. Pearce will give way, and it looks as if Mr. Corrigan will win in a canter. The key of the position is held by Hawera, where, the present member has the strongest-support. In the country he has made comparatively little headway. In all the farming centres, and in towns like Patea, Waverley and Waitotara, Mr. Pearce has met with very cordial receptions, whilst Mr. Dixon’s presence has not evoked any enthusiasm. This is significant. The fact is that Mr. Pearce, with all his faults, impresses the rural voter as the more practical and morp successful politician; whilst regarding the present member, he is extremely courteous, hardworking and well-meaning, but utterly out of his element in politics. If Hawera town swings over to Mr. Pearce at the last moment—which is unlikely—there may be a chance of retaining the seat for Reform. On the other hand, there is little likelihood of the country places ousting Air. Pearce in favor of Mr. Dixon.

Liberal supporters are very happy in their contemplation of the difficulties of their opponents, which provide them with the opportunity they have been seeking for a good many years. In the past three elections they have been in. a similar position as the Reformers now are, Labor having butted in to spoil the chances of Mr. Morrison. They have got a stronger platform man in Mr. Corrigan than they have had previously, and one who has been scoring all round the wicket with the bulk of his audience, who, like those of other electorates, cannot discriminate and sift the wheat from the straw.

A study of past election figures reveals that the Liberal and Reform forces in this electorate are fairly evenly divided, and, as I have remarked on a former occasion, either Mr. Dixon or Mr. Pearce would require all the voles he could command if alone in the field on behalf of the Government to beat the present Liberal nominee. With the amount of feeling that has been imported into the contest—for which the local paper and the Wanganui Chronicle are not free from blame, they having lost their customary equipoise in their aim to discredit and discount Mr. Pearce—the Reform vote is at sixes and sevens, and this is a great pity, when the exercise of a little tact a few weeks ago might easily have resulted in a straightout contest between the forces of. the Government and the Opposition.

UPROAR AT AUCKLAND. CANDIDATE’S ROWDY MEETING. CONFUSION ALL THE TIME. By Telegraph -Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Seldom has an Auckland candidate had to face such ill-mannered and uproarious an element as that which to-night attempted to break up Mr. A. E. Glover’s meeting at St. James’ Hall. The meeting was one of uproar and confusion from start to finish. The majority fo the audience appeared favorable to Mr. Glover, but strength of lung and sheer rowdyism on the part of the agitators prevailed. The row started before the chairman was allowed to say a word. The candidate struggled valiantly through a recital of what he had done in Parliament, but the conclusion of the speech was lost in an ear-splitting tumult of cheers for Labor and counter-cheers for the candidate, increased by the noise of whistles, groans and a mouth-organ. THE TARANAKI SEAT. MR. BELLRINGER'S CAMPAIGN At Brooklands factory, Puniho Road, Air. Bellringer met the electors yesterday morning and received many assurances of support. In a telegram to Mr. C. E. Behringer this morning wishing him a signal victory, Air. Massey added that the outlook generally is, he thinks, satisfactory.