GENERAL ELECTIONS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2352, 19 November 1908, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTIONS

THE GISBORNE SEAT.

Mr W. Lissant Clayton; the_Opposition candidate; announces his thanks to those who supported ill im in tQao recent contest for the Gisborne seat, and also to those who, while opposed to him, accorded him so fair a hearing. The Opposition, he says, has played the game, and, on this occasion, 'lost, hut he feels satisfied that the Party, as soon asi its past services and aims for the future are understood hy the people, will' become triumphant.

THE SECOND BALLOT. A “Times” reporter saw the Returning Officer (Mr. H. E. Hill) in werence to the probability of a sec«nd ballot. Mr, Hill explained that fie was unable to say whether .a second ballot would be necessary or not, pending the declaration in the usual formal mutter. Before this can be done, however, the scrutiny of th rolls has to take place, as laid down in the Act-, as soon as possible after the election. & The rolls, however, will not reach him until the mails como in on Friday night-,* whilst absent voters’ permits that havo been exercised will not reach Gisborne until Saturday. After the scrutiny takes placo the official count has to be held and the declaration made; thus, he declared, it seemed almost impossible for all this to be done to enable the second ballot, it such is found necesary, to be held on Tuesday next. Under the circumstances, he had applied, in case of necessity, for an extension of time to a fortnight. although it is pretty clear from the Act that Gishorne, not being specified in the fortnight schedule, must proceed with the second ballot on Tuesday. All necessary papers, however, Mr. Hill has in readiness already for the second ballot should they bo required. Enquiries were made by Mr. Barton this morning as to the possibilty of withdrawing from the contest, with a view to avoiding further trouble, but the Act clearly specifies that withdrawal is not permissive. Mr. D-arton, however, informed a “Times” reporter yesterday jthat both he and Mr. Carroll have agreed not to enter into an active campaign on the second ballot. .

It may bo pointed out that absent voters’ permits cannot bo used for a second ballot-. The reason probably is that there are many districts in which no second ballot is taken, and in which there are, therefore, no, deputy returning officers to receive the permits of the voters from elsewhere who may happen to be therein.

THE POLLING.

LATEST RETURNS

As later returns have affected the results in some of the electorates, the following list is published to show the alterations since the figures published in yesterday’s “Times”:— “G” signifies Government supporter, “O” Oppositionist, “I” Independent, “L” Labor, “S” Socialist, “XL” Independent Liberal, “L.L” LiberalLabor, “P” Prohibitionist. Members of the last Parliament are marked *, and members of previous Parliaments t

NORTH ISLAND.

BAY OF ISLANDS

THE POSITION AT A GLANCE.

MEMBERS ELECTED

[Special to “Times.”]

WELLINGTON, Nov. 18. The following table shows the present position. - • GOVERNMENT. v Reed. Fowlds. Glover. La wry. Brown. Ward. Allen, E. G. McGowan. ~~ Remington. Hall. Thomson, J. C. Millar. Ell. ' Arnold. Sidoy. Hanan. Duncan, T. Steward. ■Colvin. ’ McKenzie, It. Guinness. Witty. Buddo. Laurenson. Mackenzie, T. Seddon. Jennings. Baume. Greonslade. Poole. Hogg. Diavoy. Wilford. Field. Stall worthy. OPPOSITION. Mander. Bollard. Herrics. Rhodes. Malcolm. Lang. Hine. Massey. Pearce. Okev. Allen, J. Fraser, W. Hardy. Guthrie. Auderson. Buchanan.. INDEPENDENT, Duncan. Taylor. Fisher. NEW MEMBERS. Reed. Glover. Brown. , Hinc. Pearce. Guthrie. Anderson. Buchanan. Duncan. Taylor. DEFEATED MEMBERS. Izard. Hornsby. Fraser, A. L. D. Kidd. Symes. Chappie. Gray. McNab. Major. SUMMARY. Government ... ... -(JoOpposition ••• ••• 16 Independent ... ... 6 New members • ... ... 10 Defeated members (all Govt.) 0 SECOND BALLOTS.

Second ballots will take place in the following electorates and between the candidates named. The elections will he held next Tuesday except in the case of the Bay of Plenty, which will take place a week later : —■ aa. Wellington Sdhtli. —Barber (G), Wright .(I). f Wellington Eaa£. —Atkinson (I), McLaren (Labor). ■*, Wellington North.—Herdman (O), Bolton (G). Wellington Subufbs. —Luke (G), Fitzgerald (G). Dunedin North.—-Barclay (G), Thomson (O). Ashburton. —Flatnfan (G), Jones CO). , Palmerston Norjh. —Mood (G), •Buick CO). | Wanganui.— Hutchison a^uManawatu. —iStcvchis (G), Newman CO). Hawke s Bav. —DMion (G), Russell CO). . * Goraldine. —Buxtqh (G), Jeffries co). •, Ohinemuri. —Polanfl (G). Hasclden CO)- j Tiinaru —Oimpbifll (O); Craigic (G). -Egmont.—Dive| (O), Wake (G). ... Tiianeka. —Maepkcison (G), Scott TO). Pahiatua. Ross (G), Cj&oper (O). Gisborne. —Carroll (G), Darton (Labor). Hurunui —Forbes (G), Clothier (O). Bay of Plenty.—MacDonald (G), Gow (O). Avon. —Russel (G), Tanner (G). Waitemata. —Napier (G), Phillips (O). Nelson. —J. Grabjum (G), H. Atmore (G).

NEWSPAPER OPINION.

VIEWS OF WELLINGTON JOUR-

NALS

THE GOVERNMENT DRG-\N.

[Special to “Times.”]

WELLINGTON, Nov. 18. The “New Zealand Times” (Government organ) says that the result of the polls is satisfactory, from tinparty point of view, though it expresses regret at the defeat of Mr. McNab, and regret <at the other defeats on the Government side AN OPPOSITION VIEW.

The “Dominion” (Opposition journal), says: \ “The Government has been returned to office, hut. no one can mistake the change in public feeling regarding it. The little band of public men who have striven courageously year after year in the face of discouraging reverses to open -the eyes of the people of the country to the maladministration and wasteful extravagance off Ministers, have at.last succeeded in 'attracting the attention Sp£ the electors of' the country, and the result lias been only what would be expectefL . The moment the public was induced to take sufficient interTset in the administration of public affairs to investigate the plaujdb.o professions of Ministers, and analyse for themselves the effect of the extravaganc© 'and waste whicli have characterised the public life of the country for many yc-ars past,- a revulsion of feeling w>as inevitable.” In

regard to the second ballot, the “Dominion” says: “It will fail except in so far as it disfranchises labor, and the triumph over labor is likely to' be a Pyrrhic victory for the Government. Labor deserves avid should have adequate representation in the House and, although it has been denied representation by the Ward Government, it still has votes to use in the/second ballots.” AN INDEPENDENT OPINION.

The “Evening Post” (Independent) hails the strengthened Opposition with pleasure. It adds: “It tis as yet - impossible to estimate precisely the losses and gains, owing to the fact that in no less than twenty-two constituencies, representing rather more than 2o per cent, of the total, a second ballot is necessary, but in the cases mentioned the Opposition has scored notable wins, and has as vet sustained mo loss. There is also reason to suppose that it will come out of the ordeal of the second ballots rather better than the Government.” Incidentally the paper mentions the fact, “The most interesting single event of the campaign is the defeat of Mr. McNab, the Minister of Lands, in what, till a'few weeks ago, was regarded as his absolutely impregnable stronghold of Mataura. It is twenty one years since a Minister of the Crown in Now Zealand was defeated at the polls. In 1887 Mr. Jas. Allen, as a political novice, won his spurs by the defeat of Sir Robert Stout in Dunedin, and now another constituency in the far south has repeated the experiment.”

A MINISTERIAL. VIEW. INTERVIEW WITH ME. FOWLDS. [Press Association.] AUCKLAND Nov. 18, The Hon. Geo. Fojvlds declared in an interview this afternoon That the Opposition had gained absolutely nothing, and that, with the exception of Mr. McNab’s defeat, the Government had every reason to feel extermely well satisfied with the result of the election. “It is,” he said, “ridiculous to suggest that there is any indication of a freehold victory, because the three Government porters who have been defeated are all staunch freeholders. The true significance of Mr. M c^a b’s defat lies in the strength of the hostility towards the Government, which will be found all over Southland because of its action in placing the sum of £-5000 112)011 the Estimates as compensation to Mr. Meikle.”

THE OPPOSITION. STATEMENT BY MR MASSEY. [Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Nov. 18. Mr. Massey, in an interview, said that the Opposition, on the returns to hand, had not lost a man. There were five new Ojqiosition members at least, with quite -ft-number of possibiiities on the second ballot. The country had pronounced an overwhelming verdict for the freehold.

Mr. Massey said ho could not congratulate the Government on its methods ol electioneering. This had been the dirtiest election of which lie had had experience, and in saying this he was thinking more particularly of tli© misleading and scurrilous literature scattered broadcast over the country. “I have noticed, too,” he said, “that Government candidates in many instances were not ashamed to state in perfectly plain terms that if elected they would be able to obtain more money by way of Parliamentary grants than could possibly be obtained by Oppositionists, and Ministers appeared to encourage this sort of thong rather than otherwise. lam not sure that this practice on the part of candidates does not come within the scope of the Corrupt Practices Act.”

THE SECOND BALLOT.

A POLITICAL BOOMERANG

[Special to “Times.”] AY ELLINGTON. Nov. 17. The Second Ballot Act has, indeed, proved . a political boomerang, which has come back against its authors, and especially against a number of those who helped to pass it into law. Messrs Barber, Barclay, Flat-man. Poland, Craigie, Alacpherson, Ross, Carroll, Forbes,/ MacDonald, Russel;, Tanner, -and Luke, - all ' Government supporters, would have now been, declared elected had it not been for the passing of the Second Ballot Act. Now the whole thirteen of those Government supporters have to run the risk, worry, and expense of a second election, and dt is quite certain that several of them will be defeated. But worse remains to be stated. Mr. Uerdman, one of the most trenchant Government critics imaginable, is likely to be put into Parliament by the votes of those who supported Mr. Izard, tlio Government nominee. Indeed, Mr. Herdman’s election' is already practically assured. The Izard men make no secret about voting for him, and some of the latter candidate’s principal committeemen have already volunteered to serve on Mr. Herdman’s committee in connection with the second election.

Similarly in Wellington East Mr. Atkinson stands a good chance of ■election, for the Government candidate is already right out of it, and the Labor-Socialist candidate (Mr. McLaren) is the second man in the running. Thus, whatever happens there, an opponent of the Ward Ministry must fill the seat. Then, again, in Wellington South there is quite ,a posl sibility of Mr. Barber’s defeat. Indeed 1 , the defeated Labor candidates had already promised Mr. Wright their support in the event of liis being left in at the final ballot with the Government candidate, and if they act up to their word and their supporters follow their lead, Mr. Barber’s defeat is already almost assured. Time will tell. - The sploniddi fight put up in this electorate by Mr. Wright, the trenchant Opposition candidate, who was late in entering the field and confined himself almost entirely to street meetings, iis one of the surprises of the election,-for at last election Mr. Barber had a majority of no fewer than 1213 for the Newtown "seat against such strong, and able opponents ns the Hon. Mr. Hislqp and Dr. Chappie. Now he is only 248 votes ahead of Mr. Wright, and there are 1576 votes given to the defeated candidates to turn the balance to one side or the other. At the second ballot, moreover, it must be-remembered,

that, as in by-elections, the turn o ; f the tide is likely to be noted and the moral effect of the defeats of a member of the Cabinet holding one of the most important portfolios, of the senior Government Whip, of the Chairman of the Na,tiv© Adairs Committee, and of other prominent members of the party by such large majorities, is certain to change a number of votes to the other side. Once the tide turns it begins, in some places at all events, to run pretty swiftly. Already the second campaign has commenced. Here it will be fought with unabated vigour.

AUCKLAND CITY POLL.

AN INTERESTING POSITION

[Press Association.]

AUCKLAND, Nov. 18. " Some days must elapse before the official returns in connection with the local option poll in the various Auckland districts/ are available. The delay is due to several causes, including the scrutiny and check count that are necessary under the Act, to say nothing of the absent voters. An interesting situation has arisen in connection with the licensing poll in Auckland City. As announced last night, reduction was carried by 277 votes. The figures upon-which that result was arrived at, however, were not complete, as they took no account of the votes of seamen and absent voters, the totals of the same not being available until to-day. The position is that 543 voting rights were issued to seamen, and 89 to absent voters in the three city electorates. Up till to-night tile returningf officer hakl received the votes of 88 seamen and 60 absent voters, a total of 398. Of this aggregate 14 seamen’s votes in City East are the only ones that were included in Tuesday’s count. Consequently the total still to be counted is 384. At first sight it would appear —the majority for reduction having been only 277. and the votes to be counted amounting to 384—that if all the latter should be oast for continuance the vote will be reversed. The new figures, however, merely give a majority for reduction of 85, instead of 277 If'the 384 votes still to be counted all go for continuance the increased total for that proposal (8419) will not equal half the valid votes recorded (18,951), and consequently continuance will not be carried. The votes for reduction, however (9560), exceed the half of 18,951 by 85, and thus reduction will he carried. Only m the event of practically the whole of the rights issued to seamen and absent voters being used and all the votes being formal and cast In favor of continuance, can there be any result but reduction in Auckland City. COMMONWEALTH PREMIER.

DENIES ALLEGED INTERFER-

E-NOE

[Press Association.] MELBOURNE, Nov. IS

Mr. Fisher denies a statement by Mr. Thorn that he cabled to New Zealand, urging the workers to vote solidlv for Labor. He did not think he was called upon to interfere with the affairs of a (friendly State.

AVAIROA, Nov. 17

The election in this part of the electorate was closely contested, and with the greatest good feeling. There was not the slightest sign of drunkenness or rowdyism. The returns were watched with the keenest interest til! 12.30. There was great excitement as the numbers went up, but tlie utgood humor prevailed. FEILDING, Nov. 17.

In the Oroua election, 31 absent voters’ papers which have been opened reduce Air. Guthrie's majority to 16. and 39 papers are still to come. A second ballot is possible, but.very unlikely.

CHRISTCHURCH. Nov. 18

Owing to a second return from the Foresters’ Hall not having been counted in the Christchurch Ea.-t voting, Mr. T. H. Davey’s majority is materially increased. The missing figures were: Boxshall 40, Cooke 72. Davey 397, McCombs 153. This makes the totals for the seat: Boxsliall 50-5, Cooke 576, Davey 3873. McCombs 2004.

V. Reed (G) 2290 J. C. Johnson (O) 1064 MARSDEX. *F. Mander (0) 2412 J. Harrison (G) ... 1676 M. Soule (L.G.) 42o WA ITEM AT A. L. It. Phillips (0) 2917 W. J. Niapier (G) 2052 - H. Wilding (G) 669 T. Wake (1) 293 (Second ballot to be held.) TAUMARUNUI. *W. T. Jennings (G) 3224 W. T. Bowater (O) 1367 HAWKE’S BAY. tSir W. R. Russell (0) 1659 - *A. Dillon (G.) 1518 H. I. Simson (G.) ... 1072 A. E. Jull (G.) 746 „ G. S. Clapham (G.) 653 T. J. Thompson (G.) 150 (Second ballot to be hold.) PAHIATUA. *R. B. Ross (G) 1839 J. C. Cooper (0) 1239 W. H. Hawkins (I) 1129 Second ballot. WAIRARAPA. W. C. Buchanan <0) 2711 * *J. T. M. Hornsby (G) 2520 PATEA. G. V. Pearce (0) 2610 *C. E. Major (G) 2350 Small return to come; cannot affect. RANGITIKEI. *A. E. Remington (G) 2184 R. W. Smith (I) 2056 SOUTH ISLAND. MOTUEKA. *R. McKenzie (G) 2485 F. W. Smith (0) 1014 WESTLAND. *T. E. Seddon (G) 2811 H. L. Mieliel (G) 2683 (Final, with exception of 70 permits.) HURUNUI. G. Forbesi i(G) 2049 O. F. Clothier (O) 1399 G. D. Greenwood (I) ... 528 G. T. Pulley (G) 290 Second ballot. CHRISTCHURCH EAST. *T. H. Davey (G.) ... 3873 J. McCombs (I.) ... 2004 . F. R. Cooke (S.I.) 576 C. Boxshall (0.) ... 505 ASHBURTON. W. Nosworthy (0) 2336 *F. R. Flatman (G) !^293. D. Jones 1302 J. D. Gobbe (L) 397 W. S. Maslin (0.) 276 v GERALDINE. W. Jeffries (O) > 1964 T. 'Buxton '(G) 1903 W. H. Williams (G) - ... 963 One small return to come. Second ballot. " DUNEDIN SOUTH. *T. K. Sidey (G) 4239 R. R. Douglas (L) 2849 W. Fleming (G) 578 - TUAPEKA. ’•'J. A. Macpherson (G.) ... 1544 R. (Scott (0) 1441 *W. A. Cliapiilo (G.) ... 1298