By-Election Result

Majority of Over 3700

The result of the'by-election for the Ghristchurcli South seat rendered vacant by the death of Mr E.tf. Howard last Saturday, resulted as follows : — B. M. Macfarlane (G.) ... 7492 M.E. Lyons (N.) 3779 "Majority fov Macfarlane 3713 In addition there were 314 postal votes and 232 absentee votes, which have not yet been counted. A total of 15,590 names were on the ioll, and 11,271 votes were recorded, not including postal and absentee votes, a poll of approximately 70 per cent, resulting. It was agreed by both candidates in the by-electioti that the only speeches to be given after the result was announced would be those over the air from station 3YA. After this had been done, however, Mr Macfarlane was surrounded by a small crowd of admirers in Cathedral Square, the usual spot for election night addresses, and persuaded to give another short talk. He declined at first, but one man called for a show of hands on the proposition and Mr Macfarlane had to' agree.

In his address over the air Mr Macfarlane emphasised, as he did later in the Square, his belief that approximately 2000 Labour voters had refrained from voting through apathy engendered by their firm belief in the result being an easy win for Labour.

"No doubt a large number of Labour supporters took the issue much too cheaply, and simply did not bother to vote," said Mr Macfarlane. "Had the full strength of Labour voters in the electorate gone to the poll the Labour vote would have been much bigger."

Mr Macfarlane said that the Government was being severely criticised, but the result of the byelection showed that the majority of the people were still behind Labourfirnily.