BY-ELECTION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1207, 16 August 1911, Page 5

BY-ELECTION.

FIGHT FORCHRISTCHORCn NORTII, MR. ISITT'S QUICK CHANGES. A CLOSE POLL EXPECTED. (By TelegraDb.--;Spcclal Correspondent.! Ghristchurch, August 15. Interest in. tho by-election in Christ* church North grows keener as tho polling tiny approaches. The two candidal cs nro addressing meetings nightly, with occasional afternoon meetings for ladies, and canvassing rocs on steadily on both sides. At Ike outset it wns though!: tha'; ilr. Isitt's greater experience on the platform would give him nil undoubted advantage, but as tho campaign has gono on it has become, recognised that fluency and readiness of speech do not atono for a merely elementary knowledge of politics, nor for a readiuess to alter his views. A good part of several of his curlier speeches watt devoted to abusing the "Press," but latterly, apparently on the advice of some of his friends, ho has iibaiidoned to ft largo extent this easy and congenial way of filling up the time that otherwise ho would have had to spend in discussing politics. The changes in his opinions have been somewhat sudden. Ho began by saying that ho would not give full electoral privileges to Government servants, but a day or two afterwards ho said ho had had some discussion on the subject as the result of which ho had altered his opinion. On tho question of defence lie announced himself valiantly at tho outset as "not a non-resistant, and said ho believed it was his duty to defend his country- At subsequent meetings he gradually weakened in this. First ho .brought forward the amazing proposition that those who wished to escape *tho duty of defending their country should be allowed to do so on payment of JCS, .£lO, or ,£ls. Next, on Fridav night last ho said he would voto for the repeal of tho compulsory clauses of the Act. .In other words, that he was prepared to destroy the system at onco without giving it a trial. Ho began as nil Independent, but now states that, "as a rule," lib will Iμ found voting with the Government and against the Opposition. He is a leaseholder, but will 6ell tho freehold of tho 999 years' leases. At first ho said he would fell them at half their present value, and subsequently altered thia to 25 per cent, above tho original value. As the, "l'rt-ss" remarks, it is evident that (ho only point on which 'Mr, Jsitt has definite and fixed convictions is the bare majority vote for licensing polls. Mr. Hall's chances improve daily. The organisation on his side is probably less efficient than that of the Prohibitionists, but it is better than has been tho case at other elections, and his eupporters are enthusiastic to a degree. As a speaker, Mr. Hall has an easy conversational stylo by no means devoid of humour, though without any of tho tricks by which his opponent rather obviously seeks to raise a laugh. Tho 'Times," which is backing Mr. Isitt strongly, has chosen to speak almost daily ns if Mr. Hall were absolutely ignorant of politics, and was being assiduously couched by his friends. This, of course, is merely a pose. As a matter of fact, Mr. Hnll lias probably forgotten more about politics than Mr. Isitt ever knew. His father's close connection with New Zealand politics for fortv years, his own connection with local government, for a number of years past, which brought him into touch at many points with Parliamentary jwlitics. and 'his own predilections, have combined to give him n much wider knowledge of affairs than his opponents givo luni credit for. Both sides profess confidence as to the result of the poll on Thursday. Tho voting will probably bs close, and it is enough to say that Mr. Hall's chances have improved so greatly during tho past two or three days that the confidence of his supporters is well justified.