THE EDEN ELECTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19762, 13 April 1926, Page 8

THE EDEN ELECTION.

The Socialist Labour Party is desperately anxious to win the Eden by-election this week. It is perfectly intelligible that it should be so. “If Mason wins. Labour becomes the official Opposition” : so runs a statement in an appeal that has been issued on behalf of the party’s candidate, and, in order that this goal may be attained, if this be possible, no effort .is being spared on behalf of the party in Mr Mason’s and its own interest. Air Mason was in a minority of 2336 votes at the general election last year, when Sir James Parr was elected for Eden, 118 votes being recorded, in addition, in favour ot a Nationalist candidate who retired from ’the contest too late to admit of the removal of his name from the ballot-paper. These figures would offer scant encouragement to the Labour Party in the by-election were it not for the fact that the anti-Socialist vote will be split on this occasion between two Reform candidates. The issue will depend in reality upon the extent of the support that is given by the electors to Miss Melville, whose sym. pathy she has been endeavouring to enlist by the complaint that she was unjustly treated at the ballot for the selection of the Reform candidate. A curious episode in the election is provided in the fact that Air Viviafe Potter, the Reform member for Grey Lynn, has warmly espoused the cause of Miss Melville. It was hinted that another of the Reform members in Auckland had also rebelled against the party’s acceptance of Sir James Gunson as its candidate, but this has been proved to be not in accordance with fact. Miss Melville has clearly, however, succeeded in effecting a division in the ranks of the Reform party in Auckland. Yet her chances of election must be somewhat slender, and it may be surmised that she, is not improving her prospect of realising her amibition to enter Parliament by her persistence in a candidature which, more or less hopeless for herself, may conceivably have the effect of sacrificing the seat to the supporter of a policy that, according to her own accounts, is more strongly opposed by herself than it is by Sir James Gunson. It is sound party tactics to present a united front to an enemy, especially at a critical time such as that of an election, and those who are then forgetful of the value of discipline are not the most likely to recommend themselves to the favourable notice of their party organisation on future occasions.