The Gisborne Times PUBLISHER DAILY. MONDAYS OCTOBER 26, 1925. MR SMITH’S SPOILING TACTICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 10138, 26 October 1925, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHER DAILY. MONDAYS OCTOBER 26, 1925. MR SMITH’S SPOILING TACTICS.

The local election -campaign . lias • nov.’ reached a most interesting point. An outstanding feature, it will be agreed, is the contrast between the attitude adopted by Laborites towards Mi- Smith and that taken up against Mr Lysnar. Mr Smith is being left severely alone by Labor hecklers. On the other hand, as is well-known, no stone is being left unturned by them to make Mr Lys liar’s meetings as lively as possible. Various .reasons, we suppose, are held as to what is behind Labor’s tactics. ’ Unkind electors may, of course, suggest that Labor does not regard Mr Smith’s chances as worth worrying over. At any rate, it may quite fairly be said that Mr Smith is making a point of saying nothing likely to hurt the feelings of Laborites, nor, for that matter, of anybody else. Seemingly, even if Mr Smith had not stood, Mr Lysnar would still have to bear the brunt of Labor’s keen attack as far as this seat is concerned. It so happens—and happily so —that ]\fk Lysnar differs greatly from Mr Smith in that he feels it to be a public duty to apeak out plainly in regard to the menace that is constituted by ,the Red doctrines now being preitched by the Labor Party under | the leadership of Mr Holland. . And if we are not greatly mistaken, Mr Lysnar will, on Polling Day, find that his political courage has been well rewarded. In this connection | we have no doubt but that quite a B lot of interest also attaches to the | different attitudes adopted by the B three candidates with reference to ■ the fact that it is to be a three- • cornered contest unless sufficient pressure can be brought to bear on Mr Smith even yet to retire. Mr Lysnar, on his part, has raised not j a vestige of complaint on the score that he has two opponents. That, of course, is characteristic of such a great fighter. What would seem 13 that he is confident that he caipjn 1925 repeat his performances of 1919 and 1922 when lie also had two opponents. It may at once be said, therefore, that he has never in any way been connected with the plea that Mr Smith should retire. ■ What ' has strengthened the grounds for the appeal is the fact that even to-day Mr Smith says that, if elected, he would follow Mr Coates as head of a Fusion Government. In short, Mr Smith, at the outset of his campaign, . made a hid for the votes not only of . ‘Moderate Liberals but also of Reform ! Liberals. Now that the ranks of the ■ Reform Liberals have been cemented his appeal to that quarter will fall on ; \ deaf ears. But, meantime, his proCoates attitude, may have been the means of turning over to Mr Coleman the votes of many Radical Liberals who in 1919 supported Sir James • Carroll and, in turn, in 1922 favored Mr Wildish. Unquestionably Mr Smith ill-advised as he has been, has done Mr Coleman a good turn. ThaiLabor is a capable judge on this matter is amply shown by Mr Coleman’s super-confidence. If that be not the case why should the Labor candidate have ventured the self-assuring, but, we hold, very mistaken viewpoint that with Mr Smith out of the contest he could heat Mr Lysnar? That can he taken only to mean that lie feels he will be a certainty in a threecornered contest. Mr Smith, unquestionably made a very bad break at his Kaiti meeting when, in referring to Mr Coleman’s boast, he remarked “Well, more power to him” ! It was a very foolish remark for any uon-Red candidate to make and, rightly, will do him an immense amount of harm, .more especially in the country districts. At Muriwai, it will have been noted, he also dwelt on the point, suggesting that, if lie were to stand down, it would he the means of allowing Mr Coleman to defeat Mr Lysnar! Mr Smith could not have understood what he was saying for, if such a remark means anything at all, it'means that the Nationalists in this district would, in the event of his withdrawal, favor Mr Coleman as against the Government candidate. It is a monstrous suggestion and quite unworthy of a candidate who professes to he standing in the interests of sane, constitutional government. His are spoiling tactics: if he can’t win himself, he will see to it that Mr Lysnar is also defeated. Mr Lysnar’s many supporters in town and country should he heartened on account of the fact that Mr Smith i-s making it plainer every day that it is a. much stronger, man than ’he r (Mr Smith) that is needed to battle for the interests of this district in the House and to help the antUßed cause throughout the Dominion. -