THE EGMONT ELECTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2165, 19 February 1891, Page 2

THE EGMONT ELECTION.

Hawera, February 17. The final result of the Egmont election is as follows : McGuire 986 Bruce 913 Majority for McGuire, 73. There was a big political meeting here last night. Mr Saddon having spoken, Mr Bruce was called and then Mr iSeddon re- , plied. Between them they kept ihe wordy fight going on until midnight. Both were * in excellent form and Mr Seddon’s reply to Mr Bruce was especially good as a ( platfoim effor'. The result is thus described by the Hawera correspondent of the Evenining t Post— THE MEETIN6. , Election metiers last night reached the C highest pilch of excitement ever known in 8 the Egraont electorate. The news spread a like wildfire that the Hon Mr Sed lon t would address the electors ; and when the 6 Hon Mr Bryce arrived in Hawera by (he midday train, the knowing ones at once, predicted that a pitched battle was on the tapis between the “ Hon Dick" and the hero of the white horse. Long before the C hour of meeting the country settlers Ti poured in from all directions. The ladies, tl as usuuljjwith a wordy fight in view, h

wended their way to the hall. At the time appointed for the meeting to commence the hall was crowded, MrSeddon’a appearance was the signal for deafening i applause. The Mayor was elected to preside, and briefly introduced the Ministerial visitor, HR SEDBON very soon ingratiated himself with the 1 audience, and then de lived a most tftec- | tiva speech in defence of the present | Administration, and in support of the ’ policy sketched by bis chief in Wanganui, followiag closely on the same lines, Mr I Bruce’s candidature was stigmatised as 3 being an attempt made by the Opposition . Io foist a member upon, the Egmout electorate who was leally hostile to the inter- . ests of the district. Seddon defended the a the Premier from the charge of extravsr gancs, and from being responsible for the short-comings of the Grey and Btout-Vogel Minisleries. He also defended the Minie- " ter for Linds, who waa in the district in the execution of departmental duties. a The conclusion of the speech was (ha t signal for hearty applause. Calls were [j then made for •J “BRYCE,” e who ascended the platform and was well received. Some considerable objection - waa made to Mr Bryce being heard. The n Hon. Mr Seddon claimed a fair hearing o for him, which waa immediately accorded, a Mr Bryce’s speech was principally levelled j at the fact that the Government’s declaration that they would npt borrow outside r the colony, led to the inference that they , intended borrowing within the colony, a He said that the Government were not sinceie in the declaration of their desire g to conserve the land of the colony for the r people, and he instanced that they had given away two million acres of land (o a the Midland Railway Company without s making any provision for the settlement a of the people on the land. He also said if the time had arrived when they should I. draw a distinction between the man who !• carried his swag and the man who had e been here for years and had borne the heat and burden of the day. The men e of property should have a i- in the election of representatives, and it it behoved them to hang together now in d this election. He claimed to be a settler over the border, and the champion of their I. rights. He left the platform amidlt coni' siderable applause. THE HON MR SEDDON d then claimed the attention of the audience □ for a few minutes, whilst he replied to the e special pleading of “ the champion of the i- propertied classes ” agaiost the manhood ie of the Colony. In this reply which waa 1, most effective, the Hon Mr beddon was ie seen and heard to a great advantage. The e audience greatly enjoyed the sarcastic and humorous illustrations of the hon gentleid man. The most pronounced supporters of n the Hon Mr Bryce admitted that he bad ie met more than his match and regretted re that he had made his appearance. Three e - cheers, the like of which have seldom been J 0 heard in the Hawera Town Hall, were '° given to the Minister for Mines and * suitably acknowledged; and the usual kn vote of thanks to the Chairman brought to j r a conclusion one of the most exciting polllical meetings ever held in Hawera. a, THE CONSEQUENCE 9 f of (he publication of this description waa >r tha keenest excitement iu political circles, ie Of course the general verdict is that the 3r Government has, by its bold tactics, won ie a great victory, and Mr Seddon’s courage ie in “ bearding the lion in his den” is very ie highly spoken of. There are not many ( ,d men who would have done that brilliant > ;o feast in political polemics. Everyone is is curious to see the effect of the freehold. 36 voting from outside, which was so much in feared by the Liberal Party, The bulk r, of these votes were recorded at Inglewood t. the northern end of ibis district, and at i. Hawera, giving between the two places a j- majority to Mr Bruce of nine to one ; yet m on the whole of the voting Mr Bruce is d beaten by seventy-three. The one-ann-rf one-vote, it is clear, has given the Liberal* is a great preponderance. Of course had a it been a general election, instead of s' ie bye-election, the Liberal majority would ie haye been very much larger. As it is, the Libera e have woo the chief seat in the Opposition. Sir Harry Atkinson has represented the district continually, I believe, since 1874, that is, for sixteen years. Mr e Maguire has opposed him three times, and is at last elecied. The Liberal party is •e intensely jubilant over the victory.