SECOND BALLOT SEATS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1307, 9 December 1911, Page 6

SECOND BALLOT SEATS

AIL-EOTJND ASSAULT ON THE . GOVERNMENT. \ Tho position in thirty riUctoraia.in which 6ccdnd ballots are necessary is rn- ' tcrestins. Of those SO, one is new and the other 29. after tho elections of 1908, iwro distributed as follow:— Government «~—.i-—- 22 Reform party —* » Labour. • —.—•••- * In twelve of these Beats thei candidates of the Reform party headed the poll at tho first ballots on Thursday. In six there are Independents leading, in one a Labour candidate, and in tho remaining twelva only did the Government candidates hold their own. Thus, had the test ballot been final, the Government, would have lost ten seats of the total of 22 formerly held by. them. ».i_« In 1908, when the position was far less favourable, it will bo remembered that tho Reform party won eight seats of tBO 2 ,J for which second ballots were held. ( . Tho following list shows the position with regard to tho present 30 second ballots. It will bo noted'that Reform candidates are leading for five Government seats, Independents in five, and Labour in Reform Party Leading. Ashbnrtom—Opposition scat in 1908. Dunedin North—Opposition seat p lws. Hatyko's Bay—Government seat in 1908. Kaiapoi—Government seat in 1908. i Pahiatua—Government seat in 1908. Raglan—New eeat. . . I Wairau—Opposition 6cat in 1908. | Waitaki—Government-seat in 1908. j Wellington Central—Opposition' seat it ■IMS. ■ i Wellington East—Labour' seat in 1908. i Wellington South—Opposition seat in 190 S. ' ■ i , Wellington Suburbs—Government seat in 1908. Government Leading. ' Avon—Government seat in.IMS. _ ' Christchurch North—lndependent Liberal seat in 1908. Dunedin West—Government seat in 1908. Grey Lynn—Government seat in 1908. Invercargill—Government seat in .1908.] seat in 1908. Ohinemuri—Government seat in 1908. Olaki—Government seat in .1908. Riccarton—Government seat in 1908. ■ Timaru—Government seijt in 1908. Waimarinc—Government seat in 1908. Waitemata—Government scat in 1908. Independents Leading. Chalmers—Government seat in 1908. Christchurch East—Government seat in J9OB. Masterton—Government seat in 1908. Nelson—Government scat in 1908. Parnell—Government seat in 1908. Labour 'Leading.' Wanganui—Government scat in 1908. . THE ATTITUDE OF-LABOUR. AT THE SECOND BALLOTS. j ■ I Tho National Administration Council of the New Zealand Labour party held a meeting in tho Trades Half last evening to consider tho position opened up by the forthcoming second ballots. The chair was occupied by Mr. D. M'Laren. The meeting was a combined gathering of all branches of the Labour party in the Wellington district, and there was a full Attendance. After considering the matter of Mr. W. T. Young's statement when he was returning thanks to.his supporters on Thursday night, it was unanimously revived:— "That this party does not commit its •members to vote for, or give their support to any but a pledged Labour candidate of the New Zealand Labour party.",. i The following statemont was handed in by Mr. Young:—"l wish to mako it cle.tr that in returning thanks to the electors on Thursday night, I intended to convey that if our supporters wero going to to usked to support the candidature of any candidate for Wellington Central it would havo to be done through tho Labour party itself." , ••;' TO CHEISTCHTJRCH SEATS. . (By TelecraDh.-Presa' Association.)"'.,' Christchurch, December 8. The Labour. Representation Committee met to-night to consider the question l of the election of candidates iu the second ballots in Avon, Riccarton, and Christchurch East. .The matter was discussed at considerable length, and ultimately it was decided that Labour should take no action regarding tho second ballots.in any of";these electorates. ".'. It was decided -to, initiate a strenuous three years'_ campaign on behalf of Labour in conjunction with the • Labour party in other parts of the Dominion, with the object of capturing tho government of the Dominion three years hence. It is unofficially understood that Labour will support Mr. Ensor in Riccarton, and ■ Mr. M'Combs in Avon. THE PARNELL CONTEST. IBj TelerntDb.- Pre 39 Association.) ; _ Auckland, December 8. At a meeting, of-Mr. Mack's committee this evening it was resolved that the committco should not disband, but should proceed to support and work for Sir John I'indlay. A STRIKING CONTRAST.

> THE WAVE OP EEPOKM. j In 1308 the Reform party put forward Mrididates for 47 seats, and won 25 of !-hem. In the same set of seats 26 wero decided on Thursday, ond these were thus distributed:— Eeform 20 Government ........ ;.. 6 The twenty were: Marsden, Eden, Franklin, Manukau, Tauranga, Waikato, Taranaki, Tauiuaruniy, Stratford, Patea.'Waipawa, Oroua, Palmerston, Kangitikei, Wellington North, Ellesmere. Bruce,' Otago Central, Wakatipu, and Mataura. The Government won in:—Bay of Islands, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier, Ezmont, Hutt. The remaining 21 contests of this group of-47 must bo decided next week.