THE COMING ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 314, 29 September 1908, Page 8

THE COMING ELECTIONS.

CANTERBURY. ELECTORATES. NO LACK OF CANDIDATES. (BT TELKQRAra;—BFECm COBttIBPONDINT.J Chrlstchuroh, September 28. , Political matters are very quiet in this district so far, but there are indications of a stirring in the . dry' bones. There will certainly be no lack of candidates.' "The Lyttolton Times" (Ministerial) has been forecasting the result of the" elections in the province very mucfi to its own satisfaction. It says that Mr. Geo. Forbes, who is understood to be the Government candidate for Hurunui, is said to have a. particularly good chance of stepping, into tho shoes that' are to be vacated by. Mr. Andrew Rutherford. Mr. D. Buddo and Mr. W; Moore are to fight their battles over again in the Kaiapoi constituency, and the presence of a Socialist candidate in the field is not likely to divert a great many-votes from the principals in ' this • interesting duel, i Mr. Geo. Witty is too firmly seated to be seriously disturbed by the opposition that is threatening him in Riccarton, and probably Mr. Tanner will have' no difficulty in holding Avon with the assistance ■ of. the second ballot, a measure, by the way,"which he has consistently opposed. Christchurch North probably will furnish . the most exciting contest in the city.- At present only Mr. Eckroyd, the Socialist, has thrown down the gauntlet to Mr. C, M. . Gray, but :Mr." Geo. Payling has not denied the rumour that he will'be a candidate, and Mr. T. E. Taylor and Mr.;-J. D. Hal) are also expected to enter tho field. In Christchurch South. Mr. Ell has the ad-, vantage of tho man in possession with an excellent record, and in Christchurch East Mr. Davey will find his safety as he did three years ago in the multitude of his opponents; Lyttelton is not likely to desert Mr. Laurenson, but it seems more than probable that Ellesmere will come back to the Liberal fold by returning : Mr. Geo. Reimie. Mr. Hardy is threatened'with more serious opposition than he. has. ever : encountered before in, Selwyn.. Ashburton is flattered -by eight or nine candidates, but Mr. Flatman will start with a large contingent of his i old constituents at his back, and may poll sufficient votes to avoid the ordeal of a second ballot. Mr. Buxton, is pretty safe to succeed. Mr. Flatman in the representation of ! Geraldine, and, of course, if Mr. v Hall-Jones , offers his. services to Timaru they will be accepted. -In the event of. the > Minister going to , London ,as High Commissioner, . Mr. F. J.. Rolle&ori would be pressed to contest .the seat again, and if he moderated his opposition to Liberal measures he would receive' , a very large amount of Liberal support. Sir Wm.,Steward is still claimed as a Canterbury member, though a large part of his constituency lies on the other side of the Waitaki, and Can; terbury is happy in the. confidence that his seat is. perfectly safe. \ Despite the "Times' " prophecies it is, of course, I far too ■ early, to attempt anything like a. forecast of the in: Canterbury. Sir. Geo. Forbes is by no means certain of the Hurunui..seat, as is claimed for him; and the opposition to Mr. Witty, will probably be greater than he thinks. Mr. Moore's chances igainst Mr. Buddo are extremely good. The itrength of the opposition to Mr. Tanner is is yet.an unknown'quantity, and the same may be said of Mr. Davey's seat. He is cer-, tainly ;not more than-probable.- It is not likely that Colonel, Heaton Rhodes will', bo defeated for, Ellesmere, for. he is as popular as ever,-and-Mr; C; A. C. HardyV. electioneering abilities, have shown no such signs of decay as to suggest that a new and untried man can win his seat; Christchurch North is very open. ■ If .the xontest was left to Mr. Gray, and Mr, T. E. ■ Taylor,-supposing the latter to be a'candidate, the sitting member would probably be defeated.'-. A good straightout Opposition l candidate is practically a certainty, and there is ; no reason why he should not \vin. • Mr. Laurenson is 'pretty safe for Lyttelton, so far as present appearances go: No,one yet knows how, many of-' the. seven: possible candidates for Ashburton mean business. Geraldine is still most . uncertain and nothing definite is known vet as to what may happen.

' AN AMUSING SPEECH. • - Mr. J. E. Rotter, the third. Government candidate to come out for the'Hurunm seat, promises to provide some of the fun that is : sadly lacking from political campaigns nowaShaking \at Amberley on Friday, He said'it .was time , something was done to help and encourage the men with the family of three or four."..Men had told him tha.t the wages they earned did not provide. proper food for their .families. If this was the case the population must go down. (A' voice : . "Give.them aib'onusP?); Yes, that was what he proposed. .He would-give a honns for every child' after the . first., (Loud applause and laughter.) It was every man's duty to raise one child at his own expense. (Renewed laughter.) ,He estimated that it cost £250 to roar a child to the age of fourteen. He proposed that , the Government should give a yearly bonus of 50s. for every child after tho ( first. (A- voice: "Not enough to buy. boots.") In addition he would have a doctor provided free for interesting occasions. (Applause.) It would be better thus to encourage an, increase of population than to bring in immigrants. He declared himself m favour of taxing both bachelors and spinsters, the former £1 and the latter 10s each per annum'.; He would raise the salanes of members of Parliament, but. would Triako them do more for their, money. /.He thought they should:act as inspectors to see that various Acts , were properly carried ? i jit , c ' oso of the meeting,- which lasted three hours, and was marked by much laughter and .many interruptions, the audience had a surprise sprung on them in the. form of a collection to defray the candidate's expenses. • A, hat - passed round yielded ss. 9d. -rti_ coppers and . small coin, and a quantity of rubbish dredged from, the pockets ? of the electors... . .

. OTAGO SEATS. . (BT TELBGBATH.—SPICIiX cobeisposdent.) Dunedin, September 28. Mr. - James Allen is to be opposed for Bruce by Mr. John Loudon, Mayor of Dunedin last year. He' will have the Government support, Mr. Loudon's decision removes one of the opponents that Mr. Tom Mackeszie expected to have to meet at the Taien. ' . r " WESTERN MAORI DISTRICT. "King":' Mahuta, M.L.C., it is stated, is being strongly urged to oppose Mr. Henare Kaihau for the Western Maori district at the next general elections. In a, circular' which has been issued amongst, the Natives, it is stated ,that as Mahuta is ."first among men and themost powerful in the land," it behoves him, to become "the mouth of the widows, the orphans, and the landless Natives." MR. LUKE AT KILBIRNIE. \ lr - J-/- Luke, candidate for the Suburbs seat, -addressed a well-attended, meeting in 0 Donnell s Hall, l£ilbirnie, last evening. After eulogising the Liberal Administration, Mr. Luke expressed his pleasure that the Arbitration Act Amendment Bill had been passed by the Lower House. The effect of this legislati<m should bo to Bettle the industrial unrest, arid encourage the manufacture, in New Zealand, of many goods now imported. Referring to the display of volunteer cadets on Dominion Day, ho expressed the hope that employers would do all in their power to assist these lines of defence by granting opportunities to thefr employees to attend drills. Dealing with local matters, he prophesied a-great future for the Evans Bay and Miramar district. On the motion' of Mr. M. Smith, seconded by Mr. H. Higgenbothain, a vote of thanks and confidence was passed. Mr. George Winder, candidate, for Wellington East, will outline-his views and form committees at a meeting to be held to-mor-row evening in the Clyde Quay School.