RANGITIKEI SEAT.

RETURN OF MR. R. W. SMITH. SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY FOR GOVERNMENT CANDIDATE. HEAVY POLLING. [BY TELEGRAPH — SPECIAL TO THE JOST.] MAKTON, This Day. The struggle is over, and the Government has retained the Rangitikei seat. Perfect weather prevailed for the polling, ' and the electors evinced their interest in the contest by going to the poll in considerable numbers. On both sides every effort was used to get the electors to vote, and the figures showed how successful were those efforts. The Hon. J. A. Millar and the Hon. T. Mackenzie left the district by the morning train for Wellington, and the Hon. J. Carroll left in the evening for Palmerston North. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. W. F. Massey), who has practically fought himself to a state of exhaustion, took a. trip through a considerable portion of the electorate in a motor-car, and then spent the evening at Hnnterville. The result of the poll was announced at Hunterville, but the supporters of Mr. Smith at Taihape were so elated over his victory that they kept him among them, and he therefore was unable to make a speech in that j town. The result of the poll is :—: — * Smith 2410 Hockly 2011 with one small and unimportant return to come. RETUENING THANKS. When the result had been declared, in the presence of practically the whole population of Hunterville, Mr. Meldrum returned thanks, on behalf of Mr. Smith, to the Liberal electors of Rangi tikei for the position in which they had placed that gentleman. It was, he declared^a splendid victory for the Liberal party, and was a complete answer to trie charges that had been made by the Opposition against the Liberal Administration. Mr. Hockly, he added, had fought a good fight, and a clean fight, but as he had been fighting for one of the Government seats it was no disgrace to him that he had failed. Mr. Hoekly also had a few words to say. He had, he said, been beaten in a fight which was one of the stiffesfc and most determined in the political history of New Zealand. Though beaten, he was undismayed, and his services were at the command of the electors. On the last occasion of a- straight-out fight between the Government and the Opposition the majority for the Government was 1710, whereas in tb.9 present contest it would be under 400, which was something to be proud of and an augury of future success. THE FIGURES. The voting at the first ballot wa* as i'oljows : Hockley 1552, Smith '1056, Meldrum 913, Georgetti 343, Hornblow 333. The figures for the second ballot were as under :—: — Hockly. Smith. Aberfeldie 16 1 Awarua ... ... ... 0 4 Bell's Junction 21 26 Bennefc's Siding 10 70 Eastbrook 153 155 Fordell 112 49 Hunterville 223 246 Hales-track Kaweka-road 6 2 Kooke 19 23 Kakatihi ... .:. ... 16 2^ Kauangaroa 23 5 Kawhatau 27 22 Kawhatau, Lower ... ... 12 34 Long Acre Valley ... 13 15 Manui ... 11 22 Mangaweka ... l ... ... 85 214 Moawhango 26 23 Marybank 72 18 Mangamahu 56 16 Mangonoho 26 38 Mangahoc-road 3b 0 Mataroa 58 52 Ngawaka 17 24 Otairi ... ..'. ... 35 13 Okoia 92 12 Ohingaiti 72 48 Polgreen's Corner 51 7 Pukepkahu ' ... 16 12 Poukioro 39 9 Pohonui 9 14 Rata 56 62 Bangiwaea 7 5 Ruanui 23 9 Ruahino 13 52 Silverhope 71 6 Torere 12 59 Taoroa 26 17 Turangarere Station ... 6 74 Turangarere School ... 22 20 Toi Toi 1 1 Tauakira 6 6 Tiriraukawa 14 14 Te Kapua Block 11 19 Taihape ' 188 597 Utiku 50 99 Upokongaro 53 22 Upper Turakina 17 17 ' Wirepq 10 10 Wainui 16 18 Wangaehu 35 22 Wakelin's- 8 28 Winiata 16 52 Totals 2011 2410 One return to come. MINISTERIAL OPINIONS. ACTING-PREMIER INTERVIEWED A STRENUOUS FIGHT. fBT TKLEGBAPH— PEKBB ASSOCIATION.] * PALMERSTON N., 23rd Sept. The Acting-Premier, who left Hunterville during the afternoon, stayed to-night at PalmerstonJ and was interviewed here on the result of the Rangitikei election. "The fight is over," he said. 'It was a true party struggle, and the real in-fighting was carried out by the several candidates in the first ballot, who, in the second ballot, stood faithfully to the Liberal cause. The presence of Ministers in. the second stage of the contest was to impress it with the %ignificanoe of party, and to place their case before the electors. We accept their verdict." The Minister for Agriculture (Hon. T. Mackenzie), who had come to meet Mrs. Mackenzie at Palmerston earlier in the afternoon, on her return irom England, was also interviewed, and said: "I cannot help but being pleased with the result. Although Eho fight has been a strenuous one, it has been conducted on the most honourable lines on both sides. I attribute the victory largely to a recognition, on the part of the electors, that the Government is honestly striving to do its very best in the interest of the country. We are attacking large and difficult problems, and the encouragement which we have received will stimulate us in our efforts. I am particularly pleased with the support which we have received from the farmers, because I take it as a recognition (among other things) of the work of the Agricultural Department, which is striving, on practical lines, to advance their interests, not only in the Dominion, but also in the marketing of their products in other lands. From a Parliamentary point of view (Mr. Mackenzie added) it is also gratifying to know that the candidates who stood were all men of high oharacter, capacity, and ability." PREVIOUS ELECTIONS. The r«*ulU of previous fllwtioM wore 04 follow.!—

19U8. Remington (Government) ... „. 2238 Smith (Independent Liberal) ... 2083 1905. Remington (Government) ... „.. 3416 Sommerville (Opposition) 1706 WHAT MR. MASSEY THINKS. HIS OPINION OF MR. HOCKLY. "We have to take our licking and come up smiling," said the Leader of the Opposition (Air. W. F. Massey) to a pressman. "I would just like to say of Mr, Hockly that he is one of the best fellows in the world, and must sooner or later find his way into Parliament, where he will be an acquisition to the party." In Mr, Massey's opinion, 'the sawmilling vote gave Mr. Smith a great lift. He estimates that vote as probably ono thousand strong. . THE NEW MEMBER. The new member for Rangitikei is a sawmiller, with a big interest in the timber industry. As an Independent Liberal he stood for the Rangitikei seat at the last general election, and made an excellent fight, being only beaten by the late member, Mr. Remington, by 155 votes. He is said to oe very popular in his district.