The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1911.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3393, 8 December 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1911.

ill the returns in connection , ; ’th the Parliamentary e'action came to hand over-night. It is, however, impossible to foretell what will be the general result seeing that in the oase ol thirty out of the seventy-six electorates second ballots will require to be taken. As far as the “fight” has proceeded, it will be noted, the Reform have secured twenty-five seats, whilst the Government are certain as to twenty seats only. The complexion of affairs may, of course, be materially altered by the second ballots, but as the results stand to-day, they cannot afford much gratification to the supporters of the present Government. Most noticeable with reference to the returns is the fact that with the exception of the Hon. J. Carroll and the Hon. A. T. Ngata, who were unopposed, the Prime Minister and the Hon. T. Mackenzie and the Hon. R. McKenzie are the only Ministers of the Crown who are certain of j their seats. After what must have been a very stiff fight Sir Joseph Ward won by over 600 from his young, but enthusiastic opponent. Mr Hamilton. By his defeat of Mr Dive, the Hon. T. Mackenzie succeeded in breaking up the famous West Coast quartette, but the others have been returned. Mr Mackenzie had in Mr Dive an opponent who is very popular in his electorate. To have won the seat, therefore, is a feather in Mr Mackenzie’s cap. This is about the fifth different electorate which will have honored the Minister for Agriculture in this regard—surely a great record. Sir John Findlay did not have such a rosy time in Parnell as some of his admirers expected. He has now to face a second ballot, and although he will probably get a large number of additional votes that we-a at yesterday’s ballot cast for the Labor candidate who has been disposed of, his election as a member of the House of Representatives cannot be regarded as a certainty. The Hon. J. A. Millar is on top so far for Dunedin W., but Mr Bedford is bound to give him a great tussle next week. As regards the Hon. D. Buddo’s chances of reelection, it may be said that they are by no means bright. It will be noted that Mr McNab, ex-Minister for Lands, was unsuccessful after a hard battle in his quest for !the representation of Palmerston North in Parliament. Among other prominent Ministerialists who hove to acknowledge defeat is the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, also an ex-Minister for Lands, and a veteran Parliamentarian who will be greatly missed in the House. The Hon. G. Fcwlds, ex-Min-ister for Education, did not get through on the initial ballot, but he has good prospects of re-election. As far as the Reform Party is concerned, it will be agreed that it has up to this point been very successful. To have secured five more seats than the party in power on the first ballot should give the supporters of Mr Massey great heart for the further fight next week. Mr Massey himself, it will be seen, was returned by a handsome majority, whilst most of his supporters whose seats are sure had little or no difficulty in getting back. The party, however, has suffered one important loss by the defeat of Mr Hardy, its senior whip, than whom there was no more popular member of the House. Although being fought out at a distance, the bitterness which was imparted into the Seddon-Michel contest had caused a good deal of interest to be taken in the matter. Mr Seddon, it will be seen, was again the victor by a small majority. In at least two electorates the folly of placing two candidates in the field in the same interest is apparent. Neither of the Ministerialists who stood for Raglan are in the second ballot, and the same fate has befallen the two Opposition candidates who persisted in coming forward for Otaki. For the Bay of Plenty Mr MacDonald, it will be observed, obtained the verdict by a comfortable majority. The result, however, goes +o show that Mr deLautour did very well in this his initial attempt to secure Parliamentary honor. To him will fall congratulations from all sides as the result of his efforts. When we went ..o press quite a number of the licensing rct’.ins from various parts of the Dominion bud not come to hand. It is, therefore, quite impossible at this juncture t<> attempt to sum up the results. In Gisborne itself the “Trade” secured a \ictory on the bare majority. The vote on the Dominion option issue * ero vas ore favorable to the No-license rarty, ’’t did not amount to a ‘hree-fifths •v of all the votes cast. A ar ihe local vote there will not be *0 in the existing state of - Bay of Plenty.

Result of the Elections.