TWO BY-ELECTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3996, 14 October 1930, Page 33

TWO BY-ELECTIONS.

WAIPAWA AND WESTERN MAORI. GOVERNMENT WINS FORMER. REFORAI RETAINS AIAORI SEAT. WELLINGTON, October 8. 1 oiling took place to-day in two electorates to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives caused by the death of the sitting members. In the case of the Waipawa seat, formerly held by Sir George Hunter (Reform), the Government candidate (Air A. E. Jull) was returned. The Western Alaori electorate, formerly represented by Sir Alaui Pomare. remained loyal to Reform, the. candidate for this party, Air Taite He* Toino, winning the day. The voting was as follows:— WAIPAWA. ALFRED EDWARD JULL (Lmted) 3620 William Tucker (Reform) .. .. 3312 Informal 31 Absentees 118 Postal 150 WESTERN MAORI. TAITE TE TOAIO (Reform) ... 3921 Hami Tokouru Ratana (Ratana Party) 3101 Pei Te Hurunui Jones (Young Alaori Party) .. 886 There are six small returns to come, which cannot affect the result.

MR RANSOM’S COMMENT.

“A MERITORIOUS WIN.” WELLINGTON, October 8.

“ I am naturally delighted at the result.” said the Acting-Prime Alinister (Mr E. A. Ransom), when commenting on the Waipawa by-election result to-night. “ Although we were not successful m securing the Western Maori eeat,” Ue said, “ an examination of the figures show's a decided decline in the Reform vote, while our success in Waipawa, which for many years has been a Reform stronghold, must be regarded as a meritorious win for the Government. On the one hand, Reform has retained a seat by adding to its minority members, while, on the other, United has secured a decided win in a straight-out contest on questions of policy. It is most significant that in practically every farming centre the Reform vote has shown a marked decline, indicating that the Government is winning the increased confidence of the man on the land, and his support of its policy to promote closer settlement and to accelerate the development of our unoccupied areas. The electors of Waipawa are to be congratulated on their endorsement of the Government’s bold policy in dealing with the country’s financial difficulties. Thev recognise that the first essential of sound Government is to balance the national budget and that increased taxation, though not always palatable, is necessary to secure that desirable objective. . ? Apart altogether from party considerations, Air Jull, with his long experience in local body activities, as chairman of the Counties’ Association and as a member of the Highways Board, will prove an acquisition to the personnel of the House of Representatives, and will be a worthy successor to the late Sir George Hunter, who was a valued member for so many years.”

COMMENT BY MR COATES.

NEEDS OF PRIAIARY PRODUCERS.

WELLINGTON, October 9. While the result of the Waipawa election is, of course, a disappointment to the Reform Party,” says the Leader of the Opposition (Air J. G. Coates), “we recognise that Mr Jull was personally an exceptionally strong candidate, and that the vote he received was mainly of a personal rather than a party nature. The disquieting feature of the election is the revelation that many people have not yet realised how serious is the position of the producing community’ to-day, or how urgent is the need for the Dominion to return to a policy of sound and prudent public finance. It is a striking fact that every polling booth serving the primary producers gave a substantial majority to the Reform candidate, but evidently there are many people in the towns who do not even yet realise that the prosperity of the towns is also involved in the difficulties of the farming community.”

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES.

The new member for Waipawa- (Air A. E. Jull) has been prominent in local politics in Hawke’s Bay for many years, and for a long period has held the chairmanship of the Napier Harbour Board. For 20 years he was a member of the Waipawa County Council, a local body from which he retired a few years ago. Mr Jull is not a newcomer to the political field, for he contested the Waipawa seat against the late Sir George Hunter on several occasions. He is chairman of the Counties’ Association, a member of the Highways Board, and a past president of the Power Boards’ Association.. Though Mr Jull has been in the Dominion for 52 years he is a Canadian, having arrived in HaWke’s Bay at the age of 13. Air Taite Te Tomo is a farmer by occupation, and has a thorough grasp of political questions as they affect the Native population. For many years he has been a supporter of the Reform Party and for close on two decades he acted as organiser for Sir Maui Pomare, whom he now succeeds in Parliament as representative of the Western Alaori electorate. His candidature at the by-elec-tion was endorsed by the Alaori “ King ” of the Waikato (Mr Te Rata Alahuta), and in his election addresses Mr Te Tomo made it clear that it would be his aim to bring to finality the various matters left unfinished by Sir Alaui Pomare. Air Te Tomo hails from Haleombe.