HERE AND THERE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1307, 9 December 1911, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

CAMPAIGN POINTS AND PRESS COMMENTS. Quite, Quito Sure l-'rnm llio Auckland "Star's" report of Sir .Mm l-'indlny's speech, (lie iiipht before the pull:--"Ho ras sure of nno thing, however, and that was that wlmU ever happened lo himself on llio morrow, Hie Government worn going back, and would rule this country for many years to come. (Loud applause.) Sir. Ma.ssoy was as far from power to-day as he over was in his life. (Enthusiastic applause, mingled with groans, cheers, and counter cheers.) 'The Government is safe, the country is safe, and I am going to be returned to-morrow, added Sir John Findlny, amid a scene of intense excitement, in which cheers and bravos for the speaker, Mr. Massoy, the Government, and the Opposition wero ultimately swallowed up in a roar of applause for tlio candidate.

The Hav/ke's Bay Second Ballot, At tho conclusion of his address- at Hastings on the night before tho poll, Mr. Simson (Ministerial), who is in tho second ballot with Mr. Campbell (Reform), stated that ho had been informed that Mr. Frascr had stated at his meeting that ho would not support the Liberal candidate in tho second ballot if ho (Mr. Eraser) was not in it himself. A gentleman in the audienco who had been at Mr. Eraser's meeting, challenged Mr.Simson's statement, saying it was not correct. Mr. Simson said ho had apparently been misinformed, and ho would withdraw what he. had., said. Several members of tlio audienco thereupon stood up and assured tho sneaker that the statement attributed to llr. Frascr was quite correct. Mr. Simson said he would say no more on tho matter, and he proceeded to another subject. Mr. Fraser wishes it pointed out (says the "Tribune") that what ho did say v;as that he would not. take tho platform for any candidato between the first and second ballots, and if ho was contesting the second ballot ho • would strongly, resent anyone 'speaking on hiS behalf, he would prefer to fight his own battle. The question, as to whom ho would vote for at tho second ballot affected the secrecy of the ballot, and that was between him and his God. . Mr. Eraser strongly resenti tho wrong interpretation put on his words for election purposes.

Blown from Their. Exalted Position. A huge government placard exhorting electors to vote for Liberalism was blown from its exalted position over a pork butcher's shop at the corner of Hcretaunga and Station Streets, Hastings, >on Wednesday evening as the result of the heavy gale. A wag suggested that this incident was the writing on the wall with regard to the result of tho elections.— Hawke's Bay "Tribune" (Thursday).

Messrs. Veitch and Hogan. While regretting that the electors did not see their way to make it possible for the ablest man to win the Wanganui seat, tho "Chronicle" has no doubt that "if thoy carry yesterday's polling to its natural conclusion and avail themselves of the services of Mr. Veitch they will not have occasion to blush at tho personal calibre of their representative. His work on behalf of his comrades of the railway service, and tho fact that they recognised in him a man worthy to occupy tho highest offico in their'important "society, is sufficicrat evidence of his personal character and ability. Mr. Hogan is bound to feel his reverse severely, moro particularly as ho suffered it at the hands of those by Whom his Parliamentary career was in the first place made possible. Not only was he defeated by the chosen candidato of tho workers, but he polled nearly fifteen hundred votes fewer than ho did at the previous election. He may, liowevor, find some consolation in the' knowledgo that his rejection is attributable very largely to his loyal allegiance to an Administration that has been for a long time past losing its grip on the confidence of the electors."

Mr. Hutchison to Support Labour Candidate.

Speaking after the declaration of the. poll at Wangnnui, Mr. G. Hutchison, the Reform candidate, who secured third place, said that now ho was like the people in front of him—an elector only— ho wished to say a few words of tlianks to those who had supported him, especially those zealous ones who had acted on his committee. He had no complaint to make. He congratulated Mr. Veitch on the proud position he occupied. So far as his (Mr. Hutchison's) individual support was concerned, it would be given to Mr. Veitch as an opponent of the Government, and he trusted that on Thursday next the electors would confirm tho selection they had made.

Wanganui's Dislike of Wardism. The sterling fight put up by Mr. Hutchison won for him widespread admiration (says tho Wanganui "Chronicle"), and it was not unreasonably concluded that popular admiration would find substantial expression at tho poll. ,It did, but not sufficiently to place him in the running for the final contest. However, the explanation is not far to seek; it is to be found in the fact that Labour had a stalwart champion in the field, and that he, like Mr. Hutchison, was pledged to vote against the Ward Administration. On the showing of the votes cast, the Reform candidate would have had, in a singlehanded battle with tho Government nominee, the easiest of easy wins. Wanganui, the erstwhile stronghold of the Ministerial party, cast no fewer than J9lB votes dead against the Government.

A Frankenstein Monster. Tho second ballot as a boomerang, was the text of.a little political homily delivered by Mr. F. M. 13. Pisher last evening. There is a story of a German student, calcd Frankenstein, who created a monster, ho; remarked, and went on to describe how Frankenstein's monster, designed for tho destruction of its creator s enemies, at last destroyed the creator himself. "And that," ta id Mr. Fisher is what the second ballot, is going to do for b,r Joseph Ward." (Loud applausej In tho second ballot, he .went on, the Government liad constructed an engine of war which it thought would increase its power, because, when a second ballot took place, it would have an opportunity of buying the electors of a district. But the people of New Zealand, like the people of Canada had at last determined that whether it should bo on tho eve of an election or not, tho days of bribery were

Things That Must End for Ever. Both the candidates who are goine- fn a second ballot in Hawke's Bay had good meetings at Hastings tho night before tho general polling day. At the close of Mr. Campbell's meeting, Mr Divi.l Whyto moved :-"That a hearty vote o thanks bo-accorded to Mr. Campbell for his address; that' tho meeting thinks he i* a lit and proper person to represent Hawkes Bay in Parliament, and tint the time has arrived when a change was needed in the administration of tho affairs of this country." l u moving, (iiis Mr. Wh.vte said he had watched tho progress Mr. Campbell had made Mnc> he first went on the platform, and he was satisfied that in the House ho would bo a great force for the good of the country. They wanted true Liberals such as Mr. Campbell, and not Liberals sailing under false colours. Sir Joseph Ward was not a true Liberal, ho was worso than a Russian autocrat. To provo that wo wanted a new party, he instanced the Prime Minister's refusal to supply the country with information regarding tho raising of the loans. The muzzling of the press was a condition of things wo ■should not tolerate. They wanted men like Mr. Campbell in Parliament to see that that sort of thing should end for ever. (Applause.) Mr. Jones seconded tbt» motion. Someone called for three cheers for Mr. Campbell, and the audience responded by standing up, waving then handkerchiefs, and giving three cheers ill right royal style.

The Absent Leader. The action of the "Liberal" leader in leaving his chosen candidates in tho capital city to fight their battles alone is being commented upon. Tho "Hawke's Bay Tribune" asks its readers to "lake thought and consider why neither tho Prime Minister nor any ono of hi* colleagues has thought that his personal influence could assist liis own candidates in tho place where their political reputations ar« inoft booly iUwjus** l - 4&* t i'uul

city, too, which liolds probably—in tlic popular acceptance of the term—tho most democratic body of voters in Now Zealand, has nut been favoured by nuy election vi.-il; fi'cmi Kir Joseph Ward. This was not Richard Scddon's praclicn. How«v«t wo might differ from him in his political methods, it must bo admitted that ho never lucked, or perhaps never needed to exercise, . the. courago to faco a fully representative audience. In this respect bis mantle lias certainly uot fallen upon his immediate) successor."