PATEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 December 1922, Page 6

PATEA.

GOVERNMENT’S LOSS, CORRIGAN WINS SEAT. REFORM VOTE SPLIT. ■ * (By-Wire— Special Reporter.) Hawera, Last Night. The excitement occasioned by the three-cornered contest for the Patea seat, an excitement greatly increased Jjy the presence of both Mr. E. Dixon and Mr. G. V. Pearce as supporters of the Reform Party, reached its climax The committees of till the candidates worked hard and ensured that every vote was recorded as far as As was expected, the splitting of the Reform vote enabled Mr. J. R. Corrigan (Opposition) to obtain victory, though there are some 200 absentee votes to come.

Crowds thronged the streets to-night find concentrated round the display of the results. At eleven o’clock Mr. Corrigan appeared on the platform, and was greeted with cheers. In returning thanks for his election, Mr. Corrigan said that the result was not sure yet, as there were a number of absent votes to come in.

A voice: Why are you anxious? Mr. Corrigan said he had a good start on the way.

Cries: You are in on a minority vote. Mr. Corrigan then called for three cheer? for Mr. Dixon, who mounted the platform at this stage, followed by Mr. Pearce who was received with a mixture of hoots and cheers.

Mr. Corrigan, continuing, thanked the elector* very heartily for the way thev had supported him, and said that while the poll was not yet definitely decided, the old horse had got his head in front, and would stay there. (Cheers). His opponents had fought a good fight, and he hoped when he came back again in three years’ time they would renew their confidence in him.

Mr. Dixon was greeted with cheers. He thanked his committee and the ladies for the way they had worked for him. He wished to say that when he entered the present contest he had a handicap, and a very heavy nanciicap at that. If he bad fought a straightout contest Reform would have won, and when he told them that the majority for Reform in Hawera was 300 they Would recognise that he would have won the seat. Cries of “No.” Mr. Dixon was sure they would recognise that he had had only a short time in Parliament.

Cries of “Too long.” He had played the game right through the election, and he congratulated Mr. Corrigan on his win. “In the next contest I will be there.” Mr. Dixon concluded, “and I hope that on that occasion we will have a straight-out run.” (Cheers).

“I stand before you to-night a proud man” said Mr. Pearce. “On a purely personal vote I have secured over 1000 votes with the three parties and the pa.pers against me, and I am quite sure that on the next occasion I shall beat Mr. Corrigan.” Mr. Pearce’s remarks were interspersed with cries of “You split the votes” and applause and cheers. The crowd then gradually dispersed. Details:

Informal 61 Absent votes to come 220 Majority for Corrigan 103

Tiriftioana Tolfaora Warea VV'jleQUakUra Totals Majority for Hawken ... 374 Kahui Road and Opua Road to come.

Winter Show Corrigan. Dixon. Pearce. 927 646 178 Racecourse 109 95 29 Presbyterian Hall . 489 810 78 Monks’ Landlnfl ... 10 0 Mataimoana 6 0 Aramoho 49 51 16 Mokola 30 68 Whakamara ..... 22 27 12 Ma nutahi 35 53 20 Alton 39 45 72 Harleyville ... 35 22 39 Kakaramea 39 56 38 Patea 356 158 117 Opaku 29 5 19 Whenuakura 42 36 44 Warerley 326 276 105 Ngutuiwera 25 40 o Agamatapouri 19 30 11 Manga wbio ...... 9 8 Omahlra 6 5 6 Kohl 32 46 4 Waltotara 112 39 21 Makakaho 8 11 2 Maiwelltown 48 43 27 Kai Iwi 86 37 38 Paparangi 13 7 2 Westmere 48 92 18 Moeawatea 13 10 0 Brunswick 27 97 38 Rapanui 19 53 3 Tetuhi 3 2 I) Baorikia 5 4 4 Mosstcwn 176 111 23 8t. John’s Hill ... 38 14 77 Meremere 10 Orangimea 4 6 2 Whareroa 33 68 11 Ahuahu Road . 2 0 Totals ..... 3265 3162 1015