NOTES ON THE ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 335, 23 October 1908, Page 6

NOTES ON THE ELECTIONS.

Matters are becoming interesting in the Wellington South electorate. Fire candidates have now taken the field, and all save the sitting member havo addressed meetings. The doctors have been given a wide variety of choicc. Mil. Barber offers himself as the Government nominee: Mil. Wright is an Independent-Opposition; Mil. Chapman is the nominee of Labour; Mr. Hogg a Labour-Socialist, and Mr. Forbes has Opposition leanings. This collection of candidates should cater for all tastes. Mr. Wright, who delivered his first big address last evening at St. Thomas's Hall, made an excellent beginning, He proved himself to he a good speaker, with sound and moderate ideas

on most of the political questions of the hour, and clearly created a good impression. If ho puts that vigour into the contest which is expected of him, ho will probably emerge from the Hood of talk with which the electorate is being deluged as one of the two candidates remaining in the second ballot. Ho will have to make the most of his platform work to beat the sitting member, but if it is true, as suggested, that Mr. Barber has not realised all the hopes of his expectant constituents, a surprise may be in store at Wellington South.

Tun Hon. G. Fowlds is conducting a vigorous campaign for the Grey . Lynn seat, and wo must confess to an admiration for his daring. Addressing a crowded meeting on Wednesday night, he told his audience some plain home truths concerning the littleness of the ideas of a large section of Auckland people which should have a very wholesome effect. Auckland's very absurd jealousy of Wellington and its resentment of any movement likely to benefit Wellington—especially if the interests of Auckland appear to be in any way involved—arc proverbial. The proposal of the Government to subsidise a steamer service between Wellington and Tahiti, which will servo tho double purpose of putting Wellington and the South Island in closer touch with the Island fruit trade, and also make a connection with a new mail service, has aroused the usual outcry in Auckland, and Mr. Fowlds has come in for his share of abuse. Instead of bowing meekly to the lash, the Minister scattered all precedents by stornly rebuking Auckland in tho following terms: — It was, he said, quite ridiculous for Auckland people to rise up in arms whenever a proposition was made that would be of benefit to other ports of tho Dominion. It was this sort of thing that made it difficult for Auckland representatives to mako an effective defence at Wellington of any- legitimate Auckland interest ' when it was attacked. Tho proposal was quite a reasonable proposition from a trade point of_ view, and it had the added virtue oi: providing 'an important mail service. This may appear a very mild defence by a Minister of a Government proposal; but when one remembers the stato of fury into which Auckland lashes itself at tho mere suggestion of any possible encroachment on its trading interests, the full extent of the Minister's daring will bo apparent. It will be rioted that the Prime Minister, in response to an imperative request from the editor of an Auckland paper, deemed it advisable to adopt a more conciliatory attitude. Also, he throw a sop to Auckland in the form of tho Vancouver service—which all goes to show that Mr. Fowlds is bolder, if not so skilled a fighter as his leader.