ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, JULY 22, 1901. THE BY-ELECTIONS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXV, Issue 167, 22 July 1901, Page 2

ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, JULY 22, 1901. THE BY-ELECTIONS.

The results of the two by-elections are that Mr J. G. Smith has been returned for Cbristclmrch, and Mr Hislop for Patea, the effect being that the Government gain one vote on a division. Mr Smith, it is true, announced himself as an Independent Liberal, but judging him by his past political career it is safe to assume that the occasions upon which he will be found voting with the Government will be very few and far bofcweon. The Temperance Party gain in him an able and determined advocate, and any proposal to extend the period during which the licensing votes shall stand good is sure to meet in the new member for Christchurch a very stalwart opponent. It would be unwise to infer from Mr Smith's election that the Government has lost ground at Christchurch, for only a trifle more than half the electors on the roll troabled themselves to vote, and the Government vote was split by Messrs Charles Taylor and Turnbull. The latter gentleman completely ruined his chances of success by declaring himsolf in favor of grants in aid to denominational schools. The recent fiery and, in our opinion, largely unjustifiable and un-Christian attack upon the Roman Catholics which was delivered by Bishop Julius, has aroused sectarian prejudices and hatreds which were in a fair way to become perm a neutiy buried, and Mr Turnbull was no doubt the victim of a suspicion that because lie supported the principle of denominationalism he must necessarily be a tool of the priests, a suspicion which we>believc to be most unworthy and completely without foundation. For the Patea seat Mr Hasetdeu, the Opposition candidate, polled much bettor than ever the political quidnuncs at Wellington imagined he would, and for a few hours it looked as if he were certain to be proclaimed the victor. The- strength of the Government vote, however, was such that despite the fact that Mr Hislop has been laid up, and could not visit many parts of the electorate, and that it was split by the candidature of Mr Remington, it was enough to win the election, and Patea, for the first time for many years past, is now represented by a follower of Mr Seddon. Mr Remington's candidature was an awkward obstacle in Mr Hislop's path, but it was not sufficient to block the latter's success. This is the fourth election in which Mr Remington has been a candidate, and it would be well, indeed, were it the last. Had Mr Remington "stood down" in 1899 and allowed Mr John Wilkie, of Waitotara, to be the Government candidate, Mr George Hutchison would assurodly havo been defeated. It is to be hoped that in future Mr Remington's personal friends will not again pander to this gentleman's egotism and political ambition, for it is perfectly plain that the great majority of the electors of Patea will not havo him at a^ny price. Mr Hislop, the victor in the Patea contest, is a farmer, an excellent stamp of settler, one who has succeeded by hard work and natural shrewdness, and a gentleman who conies to the House an expert in all matters concerning land settlement »»4 agricul-

lure. He has ha I a long training in the transaction, ot public business through his membership and chairmanship of several local bodies; he has no fads, and may be depended upon to give scant sympathy to the wild theories and projects of the Radical Socialists who are now so noisily bidding for

public support. His opinions and advice on all questions concerning freights on wool, frozen meat, and dairy produce should be of considerable vaHio to the Government, and country settlers throughout the Colony should rejoice to learn that another member from their own class has been added to Parliament, Unless we have been very badly informed as to Mr Hislop's character and abilities, ho should prove a very useful and honest member of the Hou:;e.