THE GREY BY-ELECTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 140, 16 June 1913, Page 4

THE GREY BY-ELECTION.

It will be interesting to watch the progress of the by-election campaign in the Grey electorate. The Opposition have wasted no time in selecting thei? candidate, their choice falling upon the popular Mr M. Hannan, the chairman of the Grey County Council and a gentleman whose professional connections must have made him wellknown right through the electorate. In the old days Greymouth was always a Liberal stronghold, and with such a personally,popular and strong candidate as Mr Hannan the Liberal party ought to stand an excellent chance of winning the seat. If, however, as certain of the Government journals were declaring a few months ago, the "Reform" party has nowadays very largely gained in popularity on the (Joast, the coming election will put this contention to a very practioal test. So far the Government candidate has not been announced, and from the fact that on Friday last the Prime Minister told a Wellington press interviewer that there was "no need for any hurry" it would seem that the "Reform" party has as yet made no choice of a candidate. It has been stated that Mr H. L. Michel, whom Mr Seddon has twice defeated for the Westland seat, has been asked to come forward as the Government candidate; but for reasons set forth in this journal last week we hardly think he will take on what would be for him, a comparative outsider, a remarkably tough proposition. The election cannot take place before the middle of next month; but as all who are acquainted with the difficulties to be overcome in canvassing such a scattered constituency as the Grey are aware, it is always advisable for candidates to be as early in the field as i possible. Probably., therefore, within the next few days the "Reformers" on the Coast will make up their minds' as to who shall carry the Massey bani ncr at the by-election. As for the Labor party, "it is credited with possessing a very large number of adherents in the electorate, especially now that the two mining centres of Reefton and Runanga are included. In the past Labor gave a general support to the late Sir Arthur Guinness, who, in connection with the famous "bank to bank" clause and other legislation affecting the miners, did much to earn the gratitude of the workers in the electorate. It remains to be seen whether the same support will be given to Mr Hannan. A Labor candidate will certainly go to the poll, and Labor will therefore have to decide whether it will go "on its own" or adhere to the old unwritten but long st> powerful LiberalLabor alliance. Three Labor "possibles" have been mentioned. One is Mr P. J. O'Regan, formerly Member for Buller and well-known on the Coast, especially amongst the miners, by his earnest advocacy, in the courts and in the press, of Labor measures and Labor interests. If Mr O'Regan is chosen, the anti-military element will be prominent on his side, for Mr O'Regan has in season and out of season most energetically, not to say violently, opposed the compulsory system. Mr Webb, of the Federation oi Labor, if chosen as the Labor candidate, would also be sure to make a strong point of his objection to the defence system, which, so it is commonly understood, is very unpopular with the younger miners. A third gentleman, the Rev. Mr Ayrton, has. also been mentioned as a Labor "possible" ; but as to his particular qualifications or chances of success nothing much seems to have yet been made known. When "Reform" and Labor have finally selected their candidates and the actual electioneering begins, there should be considerable political excitement not only in the Grey electorate but on the Coast generally, and interest in the speeches and process o? the campaign generally will_ be widespread throughout the Dominion.