LABOUR’S BATTERY IN ACTION

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 254, 24 July 1935, Page 10

LABOUR’S BATTERY IN ACTION

Lyttelton By-election SEVEN SPEAKERS HELP MR. McCOMBS Mr. Lyons Plays Lone Hand to End ELECTORS DECIDE TO-DAY CANDIDATES. 31. E. Lyons (Nationalist 1. T. 11. McCombs (Labour i. E. L. Hills (Ind. Labour). G, S. Hamilton (ludepeiideui). PREVIOUS TWO ELECTIONS. By-election, September, 19.".::: Mrs. E. R. McCombs (Labour), G 344 ; F. W. Freeman (Coalition), 3G75; E. L. Hills (Independent Labour). 2G9. Majority for airs. McCombs, 2G99. General election, December. 1931: .Tames McCombs (Labour), 5401; !■’. W. Freeman (Coalition), 5372: IV. .L. Page (Independent), S 3. Majority for Mr. McCombs, 32.

Eight Labour speakers, says a "Dominion'’ Special Service message, addressed meetings in the Lyttelton electorate last night. To counter this mass demonstration, Mr. Lyons could reach only two audiences-, one at I’lirau in tlie afternoon and one at Lyttelton in the evening.

The Labour speakers were the candidate himself, Mr. T. 11. McCombs, and seven Labour members of Parliament ■ —Messrs. 11. T. Armstrong. D. G. Sullivan, E. J. Howard, R. Semple, AV. Nash, F. Langstone and r. C. Webb.

Some of Mr. Lyons's friends are now inclined to doubt his wisdom in deciding to rely on his own efforts in this campaign. They argue that, although he has proved himself a thoroughly comijttent campaigner, able to do his own lighting, it might still have been wiser to have had a few addresses in the electorate by some of the leaders of the Government in order to stir up among Government supporters such interest and excitement as would ensure a full poll. The greatest risk .Mr. Lyons runs is that the poll may not be a full one. The forecast for to-morrow is for unpleasant weather, and in an electorate which contains some sparsely-settled areas, with steep hill roads, the fear is that some farmers will not trouble to go to the poll. Will Poll Belter. Mr. Hills in the 1933 election polled 2G'.t votes. He expects to poll more tomorrow, ami he is likely to take more votes from Mr. McCombs than from Mr. Lyons. He has certainly had a much better reception everywhere than he received in 1933.

Mr. Hamilton will almost, certainly forfeit his deposit. It is dillieult to see where he expects to get voles. The Labour candidate, Mr. McComb-, lias done nothing outstanding in the campaign. He is a fairly confident speaker, but. his speeches—or, rather, his one speech, because lie has introduced very little new matter since ho gave his first address —have not been such as to command notice or make new friends for him. Mr. Lyons has conducted his campaign with real ability showing a degree of political knowledge and sagacity rare even in experienced candidates. He has probably made new friends or has won back old one.-. Candidates’ Chances. Li assessing the chances of the candidates to-morrow, it should not be forgotten that Mr. Lyons has many oil friends in the electorate. In 1925 ho was beaten by Mr. .Tames McCombs after an election petition by only 11 votes. In 1931 Mr. McCombs.beat Mr. F. W. Freeman by 32 votes. In 1933 Mrs. McCombs won by 2GG9 votes. Ail are agreed that Mr. Lyons’s position this year is stronger than was Mr. Freeman's in 1933. Mrs. McCombs had a large sympathy vote and also a strong women’s vote. Whether her son will retain tiny share of that sympathy vote is unknown to anybody. The majority of opinion seems to be that Mr. McCombs will win to-day, but the Labour people themselves are by no means sure of the result. Mr. Lyons’s friends think he has a fair chance. The fact is that the whole election campaign has been so quick'that it i.s impossible for anyone to find any evidence to support any forecast of the result.