The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1898. THE WELLINGTON ELECTION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9384, 10 March 1898, Page 2

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1898. THE WELLINGTON ELECTION.

The victory of Mr J. Dnthio, the Conservative candidate, baa no doubt been a most welcome one to the party in whose interest he contested the election. It is, therefore, but that the party and its press supporters should jubilate exceedingly over the victory ; but they •should remember that it is not so much a victory as it would have bsen had the seat been one previously filled by a Government supporter. As it was, they only saved one of their own, and are still mourning the loss of the other two at tho last election, when Messrs Atlrin son and Menteath suffered defeat at the hands of Messrs John Hutcheson and George Fisher. The late election was no doubt a pitched battle between the Conservative and Liberal parties in Wellington, and it has yet to be explained how the latter lost the fight. On the figures of the general election struggle of 1890 the four Liberal candidates scored 21,241 as against 19,155 votes recorded in favour of the other three candidates, one of whom, Sir Kobert Stout, received a considerable number of Liberal votes belonging to Prohibitionists. On these figures the Liberal vote in the We'lington electorate ought, if used unitedly, to secure the victory, but it is evident by Wednesday's figures that it was not so used on that momentous occasion, as out of over 17,000 votes on the roll but 13,537 were recorded, leaving 3.4G3 unutilised. This, to our mind, is strongly suggestive of a large section of the Liberal party having refrained from exercising the franchise. It may be asked why should they do so, and what section of it would be likely to stand idly by during so exciting a contest ? Of course we cannot answer such a question authoritatively, but we may point out that the Prohibitionists of Wellington were not enamoured ofj either candidate on this occasion, as both were in favour of the present liquor laws and opposed to Prohibition. At the general election in December, 189G, Mr Fraser, the lowest on the Liberal poli, received 190 C votes, the bulk of which were those of his Prohibitionist Liberal supporters, who doubtless gave Sir R. Stout a great many of their votes, as the latter was 55(i ahead of the next Opposition candidate, Mr Atkinson who also got some Prohibition support which placed him 244 ahead of Mr Menteath (G037), the lowest on the Conservative side. It, therefore, looks very like as though a large section of the Prohibitionists had refrained from recording their votes in the late bye-election. Then, again, it is no secret that the Labour Party were angry with tho Government over the choice of tho Liberal candidate, which they wanted to control. As they did not succeed in getting their way in tho matter, it was generally understood in Wellington that there was likely to be a split in the camp, and that the Labour vote would either not be cast unitedly for the Liberal candidate or to a large extent not exercised. Possibly both of the above reasons operated in causing so many votes not being recoided on Wednesday, as it is absurd to suppose that in so small an area, with so many polling places, nearly 4000 electors could not go to vote. The supporters of Mr Kirk expected 15,000 votes to be recorded, and that out of that number the Liberal candidate would receive at least 8000 ; they were 2000 votes out in their calculations, both as to the numbers polled and the support accorded Mr Kirk. This further bears out our impression that a lavge section of the Liberal Paity in Wei. lington refrained from voting yoster* day. That they did not do so from change of opinion on the question at issue we feel convinced. It is, therefore, more than likely that they did so from motives which should not have swayed them at so critical a juncture in the political history of the colony. However, the contest is over, and the Conservatives have saved the seat and secured the services of Ml? John J3uthip, whose name has been freely spojien of as that of the coming Colonial Treasurer in the next Tory Ministry, Without doubt he would be the inosl actable member of the Opposition to oocupy that position, as he is an adept at figures and finance, and would no doubt fill the role better than any of the other members of the Conservative party, But it may be some time uefore that party succeeds in ousting the present Government from office, during which Mr Duthie may be depended on to make things as unpleasant for Mr Seddon and his collenguee as possible.