NATIONAL PARTY WIN

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 30, 30 October 1944, Page 4

NATIONAL PARTY WIN

Awarua By-Election MAJORITY OF. 2101 OVER LABOUR Mr. Herron Returned The National Party candidate, Mr. G. R. Herron, was returned with a majority Of 2101 over the Labour candidate, Mr. L. S. o‘lSnllivan, at the by-election held in Awarua on Saturday to fill the vacancy in the House of. Representatives caused by the death on active service ot Brigadier J. Hargest. The by-election was also contested by a Reul Democracy Movement candidate, Mr. R. J. Henderson, who will forfeit bis deposit as a result of his failure to poll one-quarter Of the votes obtained by the successful candidate. Details of the voting are as follows: —

The service figures are included in each candidate’s total. A Press Association message states that Mr, Herron had majorities at 4b of the 49 polling booths, the. three exceptions being Bluff, Greenhills (near Bluff) and Halfmoon Bay (Stewart Island). The poll was not large, a total of 7456 votes being cast, compared with the roll number of 10,649. About 100 absentee votes are yet to be.counted. Saturday’s by election was the first since the general election last year, when Brigadier Hargest was returned unopposed. The voting in 1938 was as follows:—Hargest (National), 5224; J. A. Beck (Labour), 4564; majority for Hargest. 660.

Born at Pukerau 56 years ago, Mr. Herron has been Identified for many . years with both the producing and marketing aspects of the dairy industry. He was president of the herd-testing group in Southland for 15 years and for four years he was president of the Dominion Herd-test-ing Association. The first herd-testing group in the South Island was started by s(r Herron at Pukerau. As organizer for the Southland provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union for three years Mr. Herron achieved considerable success. For, 17 years he was the assessor on the ConJ filiation Council, representing all cheese factory suppliers in the South Island. He served for IS years on the committee of the Gore Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and he is a past president ot this association. He was also a director of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association for 17 years, and he is now vice-president of the association.

Service Total vole. vote. Herron (National) ... 44 4059 O'Sullivan (Labour) .. 37 2558 Henderson (Real Democracy Movement) 2 249 Majority for Herron .... 2101