THE OAMARU SEAT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIII, Issue 9747, 13 December 1922, Page 5

THE OAMARU SEAT

HON. E. P. LEE DEFEATED. t THE PARTY POSITION. LEADERS STILL WAITING. (Per Presß Association.) WELLINGTON, December 12. Tile leaders of the Reform and Liberal parties still preserve for the benefit of pressmen a “wait and see” attitude, while rumours mutually contradictory float around. Reform supporters, who are talking more freely m general terms than are the Liberals, contend that the Prime Minister is quite easy as to the fate of the ernment owing to- tho number of Liiberals and Independents who, while not prepared to support a Reform Government under normal conditions, are certain to vote in the direction .of preventing any combination holding office by the goodwill of official Labour. They anticipate an ultimate arrangement as a result of this factoi in the new House. It is significant that while a dissolution is completely scouted an early session is regarded in official circles as definite.

LABOUR PARTY’S CLAIMS.

WELLINGTON, December 12. The Labour Party has issued a statement on the result of the e ections, claiming that its success bears full relationship to the movement of the workers throughout the world. The prime cause of Labour s advance is the desire of the people for a more reasonable- social system. Capitalism has failed to, deliver the goods, and the hope of the future is contained within the principles expounded by Labour. There are also, several more immediate and local causes, - such as the effort to brand all Labour candidates as disloyalists and the cry of confiscation. ' , The address also alludes to the icy of the Government in reducing wagei.-, making rebates of taxation to weak ay corporations and filing to tackle the lioiismg problem. Ihe most significant fact was that Labour polled a substantial majority in electorates where party candidates were standing, the figures being: Labour 130,045, Reform 113,329, Wilford 49,414 Independent 40,766. The problem of unemployment and the immigration policy also were responsible for many votes in favour of Labour. Allusion is made to Labour candidates opposing the committal of the country to war without the people having the lull facts at their disposal. The party claims that the result ol the election is—Reform, 38; Labour, 17 ; Liberals, 16; Independent Liberals 6; ’ Independents, 3.

THE LATEST RETURNS. The checking of the rolls in the various electorates is well on to completion in a number of cases. The scrutiny is not disclosing many mistakes. The investigation of the declarations of absentee voters is a rather lengthy process, and the fact that many have not yet come to hand is holding up the announcement of the. complete " returns. Of course, in the case of those who have not yet sent in their votes it is not known whether they intend to exercise their right or not. Christchurch North. The checking in the Christchurch North electorate has discovered another vote for the Reform candidate, Mr E. H. Andrews. Of the 429 absentee voters’ permits issued 350 have come in, including eight seamen’s rights. They will be counted to-day, when'the official returns will be announced. Avon. The official returns from Avon will possibly be not available till tomorrow. The rolls have been checked, and the official count is proceeding. After that absentees’ votes have to be checked. Christchurch South. A similar position exists in connection with the Christchurch South electorate. Christchurch East.

The official recount in the Christchurch East electorate gives the following figures:— H. F. Armstrong (Lab) ... 4642 Dr. Thacker (!L,) ... . ... 3547 W. R. Devereux (R.) ... ,1746 Informal 92 Total * 10,027 There were 369 absent voters’ permits, of which some are stil outstanding. Of the absentee permits counted, and included, in the above total, the voting was: Thacker 127, Armstrong 94, Devereux 63. Oamaru. The following is the position in regard to the Oamaru seat: — J A Macpherson (L.) ... 4057 Hon. E. P. Lee (R.) ... 4042 Twelve votes still to come. OAMARU, This Day. The final of the polling at Oamaru is:—

Macpherson 4072 Lee .- - ■• • 4047 Majority 25 Palmerston. The official count for the Palmerston seat resulted: — J. A. Nash (R.) 4728 J. Hodgens (Lab.) ... 3666 B. Christensen (I. Lab.) 556 Patea, J. R. Corrigan, (L.) ... 3383 E. Dixon (R.) ... ... 3228 G. V. Pearce (R.) ... ... 1038 Informal 65 Six absent votes to come. Wellington Suburbs. With only a few votes to be counted Mr R, A. Wright has a majority of 269 for the Wellington Suburbs seat. Otaki. Mr W. 11. Field’s majority at Otaki has been reduced to 51. Wellington North. With twelve absentee votes to come the position in Wellington North is— Sir John Luke CR.) ••• 4614 IT. E. Combs (Lab.) ... 4243 J. Young (L.) ... ... 1525

Of absentee votes and seamen’s declarations Luke received 280, Combs 262, and Young 94. Dunedin North. Munro (Lab.) ... ••• 5003 Clark * 4 940 Majority 63. v Dunedin South S«ey «|o' Majority 1730. Dunedin Central. Final. - . Staiham r ... ••• 5081 Gilchrist 4364 Maslin Informal ... ••• Majority ?17 Port Chalmers. Dickson 3644 Stephens ... * 2Jbo Majority 679. Clutha. Malcolm —. 3676

Majority 94. * Wairau. ; Girling Si McCallum Majority 186. Awarua. The latest figures give Mr de la Perelle. a lead of 55. There are some absent votes still uncounted, but they cannot affect the result. Oroua. The following is the result of the official count: — Guthrie 3634 Cobbe , 3591 Mr Guthrie’s majority is 43. Kaiapoi. The following is the finalof the Kaia noi polling, including all absentees: Buddo 3328 Jones ... , ... 3263 Martin ... ' ••• 756 Informal 46

Majority for Buddb ... 65 The absentee votes were distributed ns follows:—Buddo 67, Jones 46, Martin 33.