THE HAWKE'S BAY SEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16459, 8 February 1917, Page 9

THE HAWKE'S BAY SEAT.

: •; -FILLING THE VACANCY. • PRESENT PARTY COMPACT. , LATE DR. McNAB'S PORTFOLIO. > [by telegraph.— correspondent.) , WELLINGTON. Wednesday., Specct.atiox is being indulged in as to . who will succeed the late Dr. McNab as I MP for Hawke's Bay, and as to how , his death will affect the National Governf mont from tho point "of view of party representation. When the National Government was formed after the outbreak of tho war, it was agreed between Jhe, leaders of parties that if a vacancy in representation occurred, there should be no party contest—that if a Reform representative died, the Liberal Party would not nominate a candidate, and vice i versa. That pact was carried out in tho case of the Pahiatua by-election. Mr. HI. Smith was nominated by the Prime 1 Minister and Sir Joseph- Ward as the Rational Government's nominee. The 1 Liberal Party did not select a candidate, ' bat Mr. R. D. Ross stoodi as an Independent. Ho. was defeated, and the balance of representation was sustained. In this case tho position is reversed. Thi late Dr. McNab was a Liberal, who bad defeated a member of the Reform Party for the seat. It, therefore, rests with Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward to select a Liberal candiI date, and it is understood that, the com- ] pact will be adhered to, and that,no j Reform candidate will come f forward as I such It is, of course, impossible to prevent anyone contesting the seat as an Independent, and thereby precipitating an election which might otherwise have been avoided. ... Some names are suggested in political circles in this connection. For instance, Sir John Finlay, Mr. A. E. Jull, and Mr.A. L.'D. Fraser, but no authoritative information is available. It is suggested, even at this early stage, that in any case Mr. Fraser will sjand as an • independent. • So far no notification has been received from Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward 56 to who is to be the Government's nominee for the seat. The Speaker must shortly' tako the statutory steps towards filling the vacancy, and an official statement may be looked for soon. The late Dr. McNab was appointed by Sir Joseph Ward as the representative of the Liberal interests in the National Government. -The Hon. G. W. Russell comes first in point of seniority, with tho the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald second, and the Hon. J. A. Hanan -third, bit there are no precedents, and the settlement is in the <iands of. Sir J. Ward. Meanwhile the late Minister's portfolios aro being administered by his colleagues. The Ban. W. . Fraser. is acting as Post-master-General, and the Hon. W. H. Berries as Minister r for Marine, and the Bon. A. L. Herdman •as Minister * for Justice. • It is not considered probable that the Ministerial vacancy will be filled until after Mr. > Massey and Sir Joseph Ward return to the Dominion. j