LYTTELTON ELECTION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 146, 17 December 1913, Page 3

LYTTELTON ELECTION

RESULT OF SECOND BALLOT MR. M'COMBS RETURNED. (HI TELEGRAPH.— PRBSS AI8OCIAT1ON.) CHRISTCHURCH, 16th December. The second ballot between Messrs. J. M'Combs and J. Miller for the Lyttelton seat, rendered vacant by the death of Mr. George Laurenson, took place today. The polling at the first ballot was as under : —

The number on the roll was about 6000. NEW MEMBER ON HIS SUCCESS CAMPAIGN OF THE FUTURE. (BY TBLBGRAPH— SPECIAL 10 THE POST.) - CHRISTCHURCH, 16th December. Seen by a reporter immediately after the end of the contest, Mr. J. M'Conibs, Lyttelton's new member, said that he attributed Ids success to the Social Democratic 'Party's platform. " I stood by the platform wholly," he said. "At ail my meetings I expounded it and explained the reforms the party advocated. I attribute my success to the fact that a platform of sane progressive measures appealed to the electors and to the fact that I was assisted by a devoted band of people who thoroughly believed in the righteousness of the- cause, desiring no other reward than the success of tho party's programme. I was much encouraged by the assistance of the Liberal Committee at Opawa and the sportsmanlike conduct of Dr. Thacker. A feature of the contest was the increase of my support among the sm.\ll farmers, my vote doubling itself on the Peninsula." Addressing the crowd at Lyttelton, Mr. M'Conibs said that the significance of the second ballot was that the majority of the Liberal voters, after declaring against Mr. Massey in the first contest, had voted for the Government. Mr. Webb said that the verdict in the election had been tho fore-runner of a great forward movement. It did not mark the end of a great battle, but it was the beginning ot a great campaign. It had been ohly a partial victory, but the greater success was to come in the immediate future, and to that end the work of organisation would proceed from that night. It waa the signal for the uniting of the progressives to overthrow reaction. Mr. Payne urged the value of organisation, and said the victory demonstrated what could be' done if the people stood together.' The campaign of the future would be to unite the progressives. This was the third bid of Mr. James M'Combs for Parliamentary honours. In 1908 he unsuccessfully contested Christchurch East against Mr. T. H. Davey, and was defeated in the second ballot for the Avon se'at'at the General Election in' l9ll by Mr. G. W. Russell. Mr. M'Combs was elected to a seat on the Chi'istchurch City Council, representing the Linwood Ward, at the last municipal elections.

r. M'Combs (Social Democrat) ... 207 i F. Miller' (Government) 1561 F. Laurenson (Liberal) 92! Dr. Thacker (Independent Liberal) 27i [V. Badclift'e (Liberal) ' n< THE FINAL FIGURES. The final figures at yesterday's pol ire : — F. M'Combs (Social Democrat) ... 262 i F. Miller (Government) . ... 240! Majority ... 221