AUCKLAND CITY

Observer, Volume XXIII, Issue 5, 18 October 1902, Page 3

AUCKLAND CITY-

Some people affect to believe that there will be very few candidates for the City, but from present appearances the field is likely to be much larger than usual. There is not a suggestion yet who the Opposition candidates are likely to be, though Mr Bagnall's name is mentioned, and the Opposition people don't seem to know themselves. But there will be Opposition candidates, nevertheless. With twelve or fifteen Government candidates going, the chances of the other party are good. The wires are being diligently pulled, evidently in the interests of opponents, to induce Mr Witheford to leave the City and go for Waitemata. But Mr Witheford does not seem to catch on. The same suggestion has been made with regard to Mr Napier, but there is not a chance of W. J. leaving the City for the doubtful prospects of an outside seat. Thanks to the energy of Mr Higgins, the requisition to Mr Alfred Kidd is a

' : boncer," but it is open to grave doubt whether Alfred, if elected, will ever redeem the Higgins undertaking l hat he will keep Dick Seddon in check. Mr Bauine is working nuietly, with a strong committee, and is more confident than he was three years ago, when he polled well. Councillor Patterson is out also in the Liberal interest, and is full of going. If he shows as much determination for a seat in the House as he did when he stood unsuccessfully again and again for the Council, he is bound to get there sooner or later. Mr H. N. Simson insists on being taken seriously, and talks of a resolute campaign, but whether it is he or Sanderson's Scotch that is contesting the seat is none too clear. Of Labour candidates, there will be many, unless present prospects are belied. The

ballot is pretty sure to favour Messrs Fawcus and Rosser, in which case Messrs Foster and Way are unlikely to accept the verdict, and will most likely remain in the running. Mr James Regan will also stand as an independent Labour candidate against all comers, and, seeing that he fought the battles of many trades unions before the Conciliation Board and Arbitration Court, and tactfully smoothed out more than one dispute that appeared to defy conciliation, he has strong claims on the party. With his liberal record, and his position in the Liberal and Labour Federation, Mr Beehan's chances are not to be despised— that is, if the Government he has served so faithfully and his friends stick to him Mr Nerheny is talked of, while Messrs Hannan and French have been asked (by themselves) to stand. The only candidate so far who has had the courage to declare himself absolutely against the Government is Mr Albert Perm Bradley, a gentleman who, in his capacity of land agent, has assisted the work of colonisation by settling many people on the land.