HAURAKI ELECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18341, 29 May 1931, Page 7

HAURAKI ELECTION.

REFORM’S SUCCESS. COMMENT IN WELLINGTON. POPULAR AND USEFUL MEMBER. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. Though Mr W. W. Massey just failed to secure a majority of the votes polled at the -Hauraki by-election yesterday he and his political friends have good reason to be gratified by his near approach to that achievement in a four-candidate contest. Mr Massey’s poll of 3876 votes exceeds that of the iate Mr A. W. Hall, the previous occupant of the seat, by just 50 votes, and shows plainly, so far as the Hauraki seat is - concerned, that the Reform Party is in the ascendant. There still are some fifty absent votes to be counted but a majority of such of these as are brought to account are expected to go to the Labour candidate, who polled 2514 and stands 1362 votes behind Mr Massey’s figures. Of course Mr Massey owes a great deal of his success to the local memories of his father, the Right. Hon. W. F. Massey, but he has qualities of his own which will make him a popular and useful member of the House. Premier and Parties. The Prime Minister expresses himself as in no way perturbed by the result of the Hauraki election. It has left the parties just as they were before so far as the House is concerned, Mr Forbes went on to say, but no doubt both our Reform friends and our Labour friends will be pluming themselves upon the advances they have made. The Reform Party, it seems, has gathered up fifty additional votes and the Labour Party two or three over a hundred more while some two thousand people who should have voted seem to have neglected either 'to register or to vote. That, however, is the way of many people at election time. The over-whelming defeat of the United Party on this occasion, Is obvious and there is nothing to gain by attempting to hide the fact. A drop from 2935 to 973 in the United polling is too big a figure to bo ignored. Still the Prime Minister remains unperturbed and conveys his congratulations to Mr Massey. Reform Rejoicing. Reform naturally and quite legitimately is making capital of its victory in the Hauraki constituency. “ The verdict of Hauraki," the Dominion says on its own advent, “ is not only a vlotory for the good, decent man who will not palter with glittering promises or deceive with half-truths; it is also a vindication for democraoy wliioh has shown that, when its Interest is really engaged, it can keep both feet on the ground. Electors have decisively declared their view of the narrow outlook of the Country Party and of the equally partisan and specious appeal of official Labour; even more unmistakeably they have voted noconfidence in the changing policies of the United Government and turned with a relieved sense .of security to the Reform Party, with whom electors feel that they know where they stand.” " <i ■ "

PRIME MINISTER’S OPINION. “ NOT WITHOUT SIGNIFICANCE.” (Bv Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. “ The result Is not without significance and it will require the consideration of the Government," remarked the Prime Minister, the Right. Hon. G. W. Forbes, when approached today for a statement upon the result of the Haurald by-election. The Prime Minister said ho would say nothing concerning the by-election at the moment. It was his intention to make a fuller statement at a later date.

LEADER OF OPPOSITION PLEASED. ENDORSEMENT OF PARTY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. “ I am naturally pleased with the result of the llaurakl by-election," said the Leader of the Opposition, the IU. lion. J. G. Coates, to-day. “ The Prime Minister and four other Ministers look active part in the campaign on behalf of the United candidate, recognising the Dominion-wide significance of the issue. The Labour Party, with its loader and prominent members, also made most strenuous efforts to justify their prediction of a landslide in its direction. The Reform Parly was handicapped by an attempt to split the vote of the farming community by the Introduction of the Country Party candidate. "in view of all this the result must be regarded as an unmistakeable indication of the feeling of the electors in llaurakl and probably throughout the Dominion. I accept Ibis as an endorsement of the Reform Party's efforts to avert Ihe development of the economic crisis and of its actions since the crisis developed."