ITEMS FROM WELLINGTON.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14222, 9 December 1911, Page 10

ITEMS FROM WELLINGTON.

(special to "the v&bsb.")

WELLIN.GTON, December 8. : . One of the ,last returns "to come in was that of Wakatipu. It was very late in arriving, but many waited' to see it, and when .Mr W, Fraser's majority went up, thero was hearty cheering. It was one Of three Opposition seats that Oppositionists had some doubt about. Mr Fraser's, return has been received with expressions of satisfaction from friend and foe, who regard him as too valuable a man to be left out of Parliament.

Many people here regrot the defeat of Mr C. A. C. Hardy, the popular and hard-working Opposition Whip. Mr Hardy was always a conscientious, worker in the- interests of his district, and of tho Dominion as a whole. His late constituents have changed horse*, in the middle of the stream, and; as usually happens in such cases, they have the melancholy satisfaction of finding themselves on tho wrong side of th<> stream.

. The vote for National Prohibition came as a great surprise to many people, and as a shock to "the trade.'' It is claimed .by the No-license advocates that but for Archbishop Redwocd's manifesto, they would have carried' national No-license.

•Mr 8011, tho Opposition candidate who polled so splendidly-in the suburbs, is already being assured of large support from the followers of Mr Luktv the ex-AI.P., and his return is consequently looked upon as assured. The "Post," which supported Mr. Luke at first, now supports Mr BeU for the second ballot.