THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1899.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11239, 7 December 1899, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1899.

It is scarcely safe to make any precise estimate of the result of a general election till all the returns are completed, and the personal composition of the new House can be examined. The poll in the cities extends now to seven o'clock, and many of the polling places in the country districts are beyond the reach of the telegraph. But judging by the figures which have come to hand up to going to press, and which are pretty complete, it seems to us that the general election which has just taken place has returned a House of Representatives with si considerably larger Government majority than the last.

The representation of Auckland City is in the same position as it was. Mr. T. Thompson did not seek re-election. Mr. Crcnvther is one of the successful candidates. The two new members are Messrs. Fowlda and Napier. They may both be termed advanced Liberals; whether they will prove as steady followers of Mr. Seddon as were Mr. Thompson and Mr. Holland remains to be seen. The contest in the city has been a keen and exciting one, and all the candidates have worked very hard. Each of them has addressed meetings almost every evening, and they have also had day meetings with the employees of the different establishments at the dinner hour. But >!ie whole contest, including the polling at the booths yesterday, has been carried through with the utmost decorum and good feeling. It is a great misfortune that the political issue is complicated by the polling in respect to the licensing question. Yesterday it seemed as if Government and Opposition, and the different candidates, were considerations subordinate to the subject of continuance of license or no-license. Voters were driven to the poll on this issue. At the doors of the polling booths, persons were adjured to "Strike out the top line," cr " Leave in the t'p line," move vehemently than they were addressed on behalf of any randidatp, How far the result has been affected by this clashing of the subjects upon which the poll was taken, it is impossible to say, but "the trade" has gained two of the candidates 'hey were understood to favour. We are. glad that Mr. Crowtlier has retained his scat, lie has been a manly and straightforward member, and has been most zealous in ti>e interests of Auckland. The two new members—Messrs. Napier and Fowlds—have contested the city on former occasions. At the general election of 1890 Mr. Fowlds polled 3152 voles. The new members are men of ability and of local knowledge, which should lie useful to them in their Parliamentary career. Mr. Napier has taken special interest in the affairs of the harbour and in volunteering, and no doubt will be of service in these departments. Mr. Fowlds is an active business man, and will secure an influential position in the House. A noteworthy feature of our city election is the defeat of the candidates vho came forward in the special interests of labour, such as Mr. losser and Mr. Regan. In the election of 189G Mr. Eosser was next to Mr. Crowther, and was the highest of those not elected. Mr. French, the thoroughgoing prohibition candidate, occupies a very poor position,

At the Bay of Islands, Mr. Houston has secured his election by a considerable majority, and the same may l>e said of Mr. Thompson at Marsden, Waitemata has evidently been faithful to Mr. Monk, although we have not the full returns. The Eden ele'etion is at present in a doubtful position. Mr. Bollard is three votes ahead, but the return from.the Huia has still to come in. Af last election, the Huia gave four for Bollard and 18 for Jackson Palmer. The result, therefore, is ve.y doubtful. Mr. Lawry secures reelection in Parnell, which, indeed, was a certainty when the opposition to him was split up by two candidates. In Manukau Sir Maurice O'Rorke was in a still more advantageous position with three candidates opposing him. In such a case, with his large and compact body of friends, he could not possibly fail. At the Thames Mr. McGowan had the same advantage of several opponents, and has secured re-election. Mr. Cadman's constituency of Ohinemuri was wooed by several suitors, all being Liberals of varied types, and the Government nominee, Mr. Jackson Palmer, has been successful. Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Waiapu have apparently returned their old representatives in Messrs. Lang, Herrjes, and Carroll. In New Plymouth the Government have gained a seat; the wellknown Mr. E. M. Smith having beaten Mr. H. Brown, the present member.

At the last general election the candidates elected for Wellington City were Mr. J. Hutcheson, who was then a Government supporter; Sir R. Stout, ana Mr. G. Fisher. Sir H. Stout resigned his seat in February, 1898, and Mr. J. Duthie was elected in his place. Mr. Duthie was not a candidate at the present election, while Mr. Hutche-

3on came forward as an opponent of the Government, The members now are Mr. Hutcheson, Opposition; Mr. Atkinson, Opposition; while Mr. Fisher is a Ministerialist. The situation can scarcely be said to be altered, as Mr. Hutcheson has been voting against the Government during the last session of the late Parliament, and indeed made a special appeal to the electors when he saw fit to change sides. In Dunedin City there is a loss of two seats to the Opposition. At last election the members elected were: _ Mr. Scobie Mackenzie. Mr. J. A. Millar, and Mr. H. S. Fish. Mr. Fish died in September, 1897, and Mr. Sligo, an Oppositionist, was elected in his place. Mr. Sligo and Mr. Scobie Mackenzie are this time amongst the defeated candidates.

The returns of the voting in respect to licensing are by no means complete. In no district has "no-license" been carried with the requisite majority, although in Ohinemuri the vote comes very near, if indeed it is not shown as carried by the completed returns. In several districts, however, "reduction" has been carried. The effect of this we show in an article appended to the polling lists.