DOUBTFUL SEATS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26516, 3 September 1951, Page 6

DOUBTFUL SEATS

National Party’s Chances

Except for Palmerston North, the National Party held all its marginal seats on which the Labour Party had based its hopes of victory, It gained two, has a strong chance of gaining another two, and a possibility of a further two. No estimate is available of the number of overseas, postal, and absentee votes. In 1949 they totalled approximately 73,000, or an average of just more than 900 for each electorate. The voting in the electorates which remain in doubt was:—‘ Gisborne.—H. Dudfield (N.), 6750; R. A. Keeling (L.), 6702. Majority for Dudfield. 48. Lyttelton.—T. H. McCombs (L.), 6662; H. R. Lake (N.), 6621. Majority for McCombs. 41. Waimarino.—P. Kearins (L.), 6551; A. H. McPherson (N.), 6502. Majority for Kearins, 49. Palmerston North.—J. Hodgens (L), 6433; W. B. Tennent <N.), 6431. Majority for Hodgens, 2. St. Hilda.—J. G. Barnes (N.), 6401; F. Jones (L.), 6288. Majority for Barnes, 113. Ro"kill.—J. Rae (N.), 7222; P. T. Curran (L), 7041. Majority for Rae, 181. Nap’er.—A. E. Armstrong (L.), 6730; R. Tait (N.), 6606. Majority for Armstrong, 124. The following table shows the way in which absentee, postal, and declaration votes were cast in the electorates at the 1949 election:—

In the nine other electorates in which there were majorities of fewer than 1000, seven are held by Labour. They ' are: Waitakere, 682; Miramar, 593; Dunedin Central, 600; North Dunedin, 556: Wanganui. 386; Wellington Central, 375; and Mount Albert, 635. The two National seats are Otaki, 999, and Hastings, 866.

National. Labour. St. Kilda .. 599 534 Lyttelton .. 527 529 Palmerston North 836 510 Gisborne .. 568 425 Napier .. 554 564. Roskill .. 557 358 Waimarino .. 556 . 632