The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1. 1930. A CRITICAL BY-ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 11325, 1 October 1930, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1. 1930. A CRITICAL BY-ELECTION.

Tho by-election for .Waipawa did not, ’at first, appear to be likely to create a great deal of interest. .. It is now reported, however, that as ,i, result of a lot of quiet campaign ing, a hard tussle may be anticipated at the polling booths. .Formerly a Liberal stronghold, Waipawa was captured by the late Sir Geo. llun tor in 1911 when the Massey party was rising in its might- At the five subsequent appeals to the electors, the late member held the seat, safe for his party. Hut what should not bo overlooked is that on two ol three occasions on which lie was op posed by Mr. dull (who is now contesting.' the seat, with the new Inform aspirant, Mr. Tucker), Sir George Hunter had only very narrow victories. Although the late membei defeated Mr. dull in 1911 by 569 votes, his margin over the same opponent in 191-1 was only 108 and in 1919 he came out on top by a majority of only 274. In the circumstances. it is patent that the Uuiteus could not have put up a stronger candidate than Mr. dull. Seemingly, Mr. Tucker is also popular, but he has not had anything like as much public life experience as the Lnitcd candidate- As a rule, personal popularity piloys a much larger pait in deciding a by-election than political colour. Such being the case, it is idle for anyone to suppose that, because the late member held the seat for close on 19 years, the new Keform candidate is bound to emerge the victor at the by-eleotiou. It is quite plain that tho Loader of the Deform Party realises that Mr. Tucker has a hard row to hoc; otherwise, he would not hove entered the electorate and participated, personally, in the campaign. Wlrat Mr Coates foresees is that, if the Deform candidate should be beaten, much party capital may bo made by opponents out of the result. Sinte the latest General' Election, there have, as is well-known, been four other by-elec-tions. l'u the first, 'Mr Dushivorth, the sole representative of the Country Party .in Parliament (who was unseated on a petition) succeeded in winning again. Then followed . the hv-elcetidn- at Ilutt, occasioned, by Sir Tims. Wilford accepting the High Commissioners]!ip in London. Laborwith Mr.' W. Nash for its candidate,' wrested the seat from Uni.teds. At the Parnell by-election, occasioned I,v tlxe resignation of Air. Jenkins (United). Air. Endeuu re-won the seat for Deform. Tho last previous by-election to the present one was for the ' Invercargill seat, rendeied vacant'by the death'of Sir Joseph Ward, and his. son, Air. A ineent. Ward; retained the seat for United- 3 - In the case of Waipawa, it so happens that tho late Sir Geo. Hunter’s majority in 1922 was’ as; many as 1076; in 1925 it rose to 1781; but m 1928 lie beat two opponents only by 4-3 votes. Like the great bulk of the Deform candidates at the latest General Election, the late member unquestionably suffered owing to tne fact that tho Unitcds’ Millions policy dazzled so many; of the electors throughout tho Dominion, If Mr. Jull had stood uu that occasion,- ho might have beaten the late holder of the .seat. It remains_ to be seen, whether or not a majority.. of the. Waipawa electors have realised the unwisdom of the remarkable claims. upon which the Unitcds achieved power. Should such be the case, even Mr. Jull will not bo able to capture tho seat for tho Government. That the pendulum is swinging hackin many' districts to Keform. m undoubted. As it bo- happens, however, Mr Tucker-cannot bo regarded as ,a particularly, strong candidate, and it,will.bo a great feather in his cap if ho should-win,tho day. against such a formidable opponent as Mr Jull. •■ ' : •, V, |