THE HAWKES BAY CONTEST.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 121, 20 November 1908, Page 3

THE HAWKES BAY CONTEST.

[Br Tblxgbafh — Srxoui. to Thb Post.l NAPIER, This Day. Very keen interest is being taken in the final contest for the Hawkes Bay •seat between Sir Wm. Russell and Mr. A. Dillon, and there are all the elements of a close finish. In summing up the chances of the two candidates, it has to be borne in mind that, as compared with the figures for 1905 election. Sir William on Tuesday last went back by 434 votes, whilst his < opponent, Mr. Dillon, who had to divide the Liberal vote with four others, was 1599 behind his previous total. Taking" these facts into consideration, also the fact that the whole of the defeated candidates have united in giving their warmest support to Mr. Dillon, it would seem that my prophesy that the seat would be retained by the Government is likely to be borno out. A large meeting of Liberal supporters was held at Hastings last night, and spirited addresses in support of Mr. Dillon's candidature wero delivered by Messrs. Simson, Jull, and Clapham. In the course of his address, Mr. Dillon announced that if elecced on Tuesday ho would serve the constituency to the best of his ability during the next three years, or until Parliament dissolved, and would then retire from politics, but he would give his whole-hearted support to the candidate carrying the hall-mark of the Government.