EXCITING ELECTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13919, 2 June 1909, Page 3

EXCITING ELECTION.

SECTARIAN FEELING AT HAWERA. Per Press Association. HAWERA, .June 1 There whs extraordinary excitement last night over the election of a school committee for ths Hawera Distiiet High School. Originally party striie was provoked by the friends of Mr I'. 0 Dea circularising th-; district with a view to securing the return of school committees favourable to Mr O'Dea's election as a. member of the W angauui Education Board. These circulars were announced by Mr E. Dixon, a present member of the Board, as being a Roman Catholic movement on behalf of Mr O'Dea. Immediately a semi-sectarian fight began, and at the school committee elect-ion three weeks ago Mr O'Dea was elected. That election, was upset on account of Air O'Dea, not having residential qualifications. "Last night a fresh election wa» held, and was preceded by unusually vigorous canvassing, the whole affair approximating to an electoral campaign, and far exceeding in interest any 'civic contest ever held in Hawera. Cabs were engaged by what may bo called Mr O'Dea's partv. and these were rattling

voters to the until midnight. Tho old committee was largely identified with the church and the no-license party, and seven out of nine of the old committee men were returned by a fairly substantial majority. The excitement lasted until nearly, two o'clock in the morning.