THE AUCKLAND SEATS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6016, 5 December 1890, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND SEATS.

A FORECAST. |OWIT COEBESI'ONBKNT. I [by te-Kqbaph.] Auckland, Last night. Three weeks ago thero was little or no * interest in the elections at Auckland, but with the retirement of Sir George Grey tho situation has assumed a now com-

plexion. Fresh candidates have come forward, and now on the eve of tha polling the excitoment is intense. It is a trifle difficult even yet to fairly \ forecast the sesults, but I believe I can do \ so within a fair degree of closeness. Several elements of discord have been imported into tho contest for the City. It is recognised new that the Labor party have made use of I tho Liberal party and consequently the Liberal vote is split up absolutely. The two committees formed themselves into one central body for the choice of candidates. The Liberals were anxious to choose Mr -Thompson as oue of the ticket, but the Labor people outvoted them and put on a lawyer named Napier,' Mr Faraall, a well known Liberal, was rojeoted in the same way, and a number of "Liberals withdrew from the committee. .Tho ticket ,chosen ! was Messrs Reed and Napier, both lawyers, and Mr Shera, aoft goods warehouseman and the former chairman of tho Grey Central Committee. Mr Thompson, the former member, declared himself independent of all tickets, and has allied himself with no .action or body of people." He is, therefore, likely to get a third of the votes on the-- 4 anti-labor ticket, as well as the support of a large number of the Labor apid: Liberal party, and in all probability, will be at the head of the poll. The anti-Labor are supporting Dr. Wallio and Mr. Adam. Porter, tho former being a Liberal to a certain extent, and the latter being essentially a working man,-' although now well-to-do, and an extreme Liberal, Mr. Farnall, the other candidate, has th« Knights of Labor support. As I said, Mr. Thompson should head the p011,,.,and Mr. Reos being fairly popular with both sides, aud sure of the Liberal and Labor support, should bB seoond. I look to, Mr. Shera or Mr. Porter to furnish the third. Dr. Wnllis . has a good following of property-owners, who, ho thinks, should elect the Upper House, but their vote will hot tell against the heavy vote of the working people.. The Manukau. oontest is also exciting a good deal of interest. Mr. Buckland has, however, been losing ground, and Sir Maurice O'Rorke's chances are better now than they were a fortnight ago, and after all I think he 'will win: Mr Hamlin will have the closest shave of the lot probably!' and it is quite likely he may be ; replaced, "by Major Ben Harris, a former Greyite, member; Mr Monk' is hardly likely to carry Waite mata, -j and as far as I can see Mr Jackson Palmer, a lawyer and connection of the late Hon. . John Bheehan, is likely to be the new < member. The genial Frank Lawry has a hard fight at Parnell. Mr Lennox, his opponent, is a well-ti-do man, and is working the contest very energetically. Some rather mean tactios have been resorted to, and an attempt to prove him to be the nominee of the Bank of New Zealand has reacted oh the other side and my tip ia Lawry straight out. Colonel Fraser will bo boaten for To Aroha by Mr W. S.Allen, theformer member for Stoke-on-Trent in the English House of Commons, and now on his way to the colony. Mr Cadman will have a hard fight at the Thamos, but should win. Mr Mitchelson has a good deal of opposition, but the Desmond forged letter has strengthened his hand and has also weakened the labor party' for the' City. Mr DargaviUe is looked upon as likely to win for the Bay of Islands; though many fanov Mr Trounson, while Mr R. Thompson f_ pretty sure to go back from Marsden. These are the whole of the Auckland seats..