There has seldom if ever been a, contested election m New Zealand that excited less interest than that last week for tlie Waikato seat. From the time that it was decided not to contest the seat m the Government interest «feh©**ssult Ayas a .-foregone conclusion for Mr Lake, to whoui his predecessor, Mr Bryce, gave his active support. Mr Lake is not new to Parliamentary life, having been elected representative for Waipa m 1884. He sitood this time as a declared Oppositionist, and his only opponent was of that non descript political colour which thosf! professing it call Independent, but which almost invariably proves to be against the Government. Mr Bryce's warning against politicians of such un defined opinions as those which Mr Murray professed may "well be con sidered by other candidates and con stituencies. What the result would have been had a Ministerial candidate been run for the seat is, o£ course, problematical. A large proportion of the constituency abstained from voting, and Mr Bryce's appeal to have nothing to do with " Independent" candidates, no doubt secured to Mr Lake many Liberal votes. Tlie Government, how ever, determined to place no possible hindrance m the way of Mr Bryce's return to Parliament so soon as he can be brought to see that it is tlie duty of a member of Parliament to obey the rules of the House, and the candi dature of q> Ministerial supporter was therefore deprecated. Meanwhile "Wai kato is excellently represented. Mr Lake is one of the best type of repre sentatives for a country like New Zea land, that is to say, an educated practical fanner. He was educated at Oxford, and before coming to New Zealand was engaged m farming on an extensive scale m Kent. He has only been about twelve years m New Zea land, but besides sitting m the 1884 ---87 Parliament, he has occupied other prominent public positions, such as member of the Crown Lands Board and chairman! of tlie Waipa County Council. He is scarcely the sort of man to act as warming-pan for any body, and the probability is that Mr Bryce, when he has had enough time for calm reflection, will have to seek election for some other con stituency.
