The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1911.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3385, 28 November 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1911.

The outstanding feature in connection with the dosing « 1 nominations for the general eh'ction was the fact tliut there will he one eketnrate- —that of (Jishoi no —in which no political contest now take place. As regards the high compliment that has .j'mst been paid Sn James Carroll w fee! sure that our many readers will join with us in extending to him very hearty congi utulations. It would, indeed, seem that the event, if not unique in this part of tin Dominion, is remarkable lor tne oncumstaince that many years have ♦‘lapsed since any other New Zealand politician was allowed a ‘‘walk-over - at a -general election at any rate. How it came about that Sir James Carroll was not opposed is no doubt a matter wlueh its now being, freely canvassed. For our own part we do not thiir.ik that it is open to question that; the great popularity of the Native Minister had a lot to do with preventing other candidates from entering the field. Coupled with this fact, too, there was exhibit! d a lack of interest in matters political throughout the district that could not fail to be noticeable. Coder the circumstances. therefore, it could not possibly be said that the unopposed return of the .sitting member might be taken to mean that a majority of his constituents are in accord with the political views that he entertains. In connection with this seat, it will have been noted, that front time to time various names were mentioned as those o.f likely candidates- So far as the Labour Party were concerned, a candidate. Mr Anderson, was actually announced, but he withdrew alnwst immediately. The reasons why Air. Anderson did not go to the poll were not made known, hutin view of the circumstance that lie was not well known throughout the district. also that his party was understood not to have a large fund availab’e for the purposes of the campaign it is very problematical whether he would 'have proved very serious < pposiiion to the sitting member. With reference to the Reform party, it is known that Air. Alassey was extremely disappointed that in the end his side had no suitable candidate to place before the electors. The root of the whole trouble appears to have beer,; a sad lack of preparedness for the election on the part o.f Oppositionists throughout the district. A\ hen the organiser for the Reform party came along it is understood that he found that practically nothing had been done in tbe way of preparing for the fray. Tt is said that Dr. Codin',s was offered the position of nominee of the party, hut it is certain that if there had been anything like proper organisation at least one other prominent citizen would have been only'too pleased to putup a hard fight to try and gain the seat for the Opposition. As things went —although Air. Sheridan was notun willing to he nominated, and Air. O’Dowd actually went as far as putting in a nomination only to withdraw it an hour or so later—Sir James Carroll was left with the field all to himself. The absence of a political contest in Gisborne will now have the effect of investing the licensing poll here with a great deal more interest than would otherwise have been the ease. It is indeed a noteworthy fact that this will be tlie first licensing ‘'fight" to he held in any part of the Dominion without a local political contest taking place at the same time. Whether this fact will help one side or the other must, however. remain to be seen.

A Remarkable Honour.