The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1927. THE RAGLAN ELECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17219, 30 September 1927, Page 4

The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1927. THE RAGLAN ELECTION.

The return of the Labour Party’s candidate in the Raglan by-election is a severe rebuke to the Coates Government. When all allowances are made, the loss of the constituency that gave the late Mr. Bollard a majority of thousands at the General Election less than two years ago assuredly indicates a marked change of feeling. The figures show that Labour gained nearly 600 voles, and the- Liberal and Country Party candidates each a small number. The Government lost well over 2000 votes. The total poll was less by more than 1000. The indication is that large numbers of voters who supported Mr. Bollard had no enthusiasm for yesterday’s poll and almost equally large numbers registered definite opposition. The personality of the respective candidates undoubtedly played a great part. Mr. Lee Martin, himself a working farmer, with a fine reputation and a good record of public service in local affairs, made it very difficult for the Government spokesmen to convince the electors that he was a dangerous Red revolutionary. The candidate chosen by the Reform Party, though lie is also held in high regard and' is personally well liked, is not of a type to stir any political enthusiasm. It is difficult to draw any conclusions as to how the votes of the remaining candidates would have been divided if only the leading parties had been represented on the polling cards, but in any case the Government would clearly have suffered a great setback. At a by-election party considerations may count for less than personality, as the electors realise that no possible change of Government is involved. During the campaign the view was frequently expressed by Reform supporters that a rebuke to the Government would he salutary. Despite the good services rendered in the encouragement of primary industries —for instance by research, by a subsidy to herd-testing and by the introduction of the scheme of long-term rural credits —the Government is regarded by many farmers as having failed to rise to expectations. The attack made by Mr. Martin in his speeches against the measures that have increased interest rates must have carried weight. The outcry against the high tariffs as a cause of high costs to producers has been growing, and, although the Labour Party would probably be more completely wedded than Reform to high protection, the resentment would weaken the support for the Government candidate. The controversy over dairy control has stirred deep though it would be rash to say that the Government lost votes on that issue. Another cause of discontent in the farming community is the failure of the Government to deal adequately with the roading problem. No effort has been made to place the cost of the roads in sufficient measure upon the motor traffic, and the consequence is that the farmers are burdened with enormous rates for road-maintenance. Mr. Coates indicated in his speech at Tuakau that this problem would have to be faced, but his announcement was too late and too vague to reassure the country' voters. Against these discontents there was an offset in the brighter prospects of the dairy markets; for many voters are influenced for or against a Government according as they are themselves prosperous or hard-pressed regardless of the effects of this or that policy. But on the other hand it cannot be doubted that many of the heavily-mortgaged farmers who had expected relief from their burdens (in some indefinite way) have felt keen disappointment. The Government’s long-term credit scheme should help those who have security to weather the next few years, but it gives no help at all to those who are already overburdened with mortgage debt. A leading farmer of this district has expressed the opinion that such people are less protected than the rack-rented tenants of Ireland. Many of them will feel that their interests are rather those of the wage-earners whom Labour claims to represent rather than those of the propertied classes.' A definite turn toward renewed prosperity and rising land values would reassure them, but there is a growing doubt as.to whether this alternation of rise and fall, with the ever increasing burden of mortgage, is for the best in the long run. It is not in the least likely that the Raglan result portends a change from Reform to Labour Government at the next election. It probably does indicate that the Government will have to face a strong and critical Opposition in the next Parliament.