UPS AND DOWNS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 271, 15 November 1935, Page 7

UPS AND DOWNS.

VARYING FORTUNES.

Influences Affecting Party

Support.

GOOD MINISTERIAL OMEN.

United Press Association. —Copyright. (Received 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, November 14. Labour's ten-fold increase in the majority at Wigan was a sympton of the party's improved organisation which was reflected in the Cabinet Minister, Lord Eustace Percy's majority being 6156 lower at Hastings. The Conservatives completed the hat-trick at Salford West, even with a Liberal splitting the vote. Nobody was surprised at the Socialist London County Council chairman, Mr. Herbert Morrison, wresting the industrial Hackney from a Conservative woman, nor that Mr. Arthur Greenwood increased his majority at Wakefield. Dewsbury continued Labour's run of successes at the expense of Mr. Samuel, and the Liberal whip, Sir Walter Rea, who was at the bottom of the poll. Far from apathy the poll everywhere was up to the 1931 strength. Mr. Hudson, Minister of Pensions, had the distinction' in Southport of being the first Ministerialist to increase his majority. Mr. T. L. Bulkcley Guiness, who earlier in the year went with the air delegation to Australia, had an easy victory at Bath. Narrow Labour Margin. A straight fight for Ashton-under-Lyne, instead of the- previous four-sided struggle, enabled Labour to recapture the seat from the Conservatives with 114 majority. The Conservatives, despite dropping 7250 votes, hold Ben Tillett's old seat at Salford North, and likewise Salford South, with a fall of 6034. These are regarded as key seats, the retention of which is interpreted a» a good Ministerial omen. The Under-Secrctary for Air, Sir Philip Sassoon, held Hythe, being 10,000 short of his old majority. An Australian, Mr. William Greene, Conservative, was the first successful Dominion candidate, retaining Worcester. Lancashire's cricket captain, Eckersley, notwithstanding a Liberal intrusion, held Manchester Exchange by a 7043 majority, compared with the previous Conservative majority of 15,534. Labour's recapture of Farnworth was helped by the intervention of a People's Peace candidate, though at the cost of his deposit. The transfer of her affections from East Ham North to Stockton-on-Tees did not restore Miss Susan Lawrence to the political stage. Admiral Gordon Campbell, the wartime mystery ship commander, for which he received the Victoria Cross, and who in the 1931 campaign said he would "give Labour a — of a kick in the pan's" and defeated Mr. Arthur Henderson at Burnley, did not succeed this time. Mr. Potts, as was expected, prevented a repetition of the Barnsley miracle, when the National Liberals in the crisis year won by a 770 majority. The Under-Secretary for the Admiralty, Mr. Euan Wallace, had a 20,000 majority at Hornsey, despite Liberal vote splitting.