ELECTORAL TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 9, 10 January 1918, Page 4

ELECTORAL TOPICS.

SOUTHERN MAORI DISTRICT. WELLINGTON NORTH SEAT. (Special to "Star.") WKI/LINGTON, Wednesday. The death of Mr. Taare Parata, the member for the Southern Maori District, /'who "wae one of the mo6t conscientious t representatives ever sent to Parliament "by the Maori electors, will necessitate i another by-election in the early future. JMaori members are , "not always over-.'.'■';';■■ ' firmly rooted in their party allegiance, but Mr. Parata was euch. a staunch Liberal by inheritance and disposition, that there can be no question of the , . "colour" of his successor under the con- ' ditione of the party truce. Already the names of several likely candidates are being mentioned, but the.contest, if there ie a contest, will not excite, a great deal of interest outside the ranks of the electors immediately concerned. Aβ regards the impending by-election in Wellington North, it is understood ' that the Hon. A. L. Herdman's elevation , to the Supreme Court Bench has been postponed, and that no vacancy will occur in the representation of the" con- • stituency for a month or co. AD Mr]. Herdman's friends will deeply deplore . [the cauec of the postponement,- but-pro-ibahly the postponement iteelf is .a- relief to the Prime ■ Minister, who seemed a ' little while ago confronted by a grave split in his own party over the choice of a candidate. Time and circumstances may solve the problem, and make the return of a worthy successor to I .. I Herdman an easy matter. • ||