THE BRUCE SEAT

Evening Star, Issue 17327, 15 April 1920, Page 7

THE BRUCE SEAT

(For continuation see Late Shipping.)

CAPTURED BY THE LIBERALS. The by-election for Bruce necessitated hy the resignation of. Sir James Allen, took place yesterday, and resulted in the return of Mr J. Edie by a majority of 201 votes over Mr J. Begg. Following are the totals; John Edie (Liberal) ... 2,408 James Begg (Reform) ... 2,207 Majority for Mr Edie 201 There were 75 absent voters’ permits issued. At the General Election held in December last Sir James Allen polled 2,595 and Mr Edie 2,867, so that 5,860 vqjes were cast, as against 4,688 on the present occasion. There were 57 polling booths in yesterday’s contest. The details of the voting at the principal booths is appended:— Begg. EDIE. Milton ... ... ... 391 396 Stirling 45 103 Lovell’s Flat ... ... 64 38 Kaitangata 170 468 Hillend 50 7 * Greenfield 53 13 Akatore 9 12 Waitahuna 122 86 Tokoiti 50 84 Lawrence 175 242 Weatherstones 19 47 ! Tuapeka West 34 20 Balclutha North ... 77 53 Berwick 39 40 Mornona ... 60 24 Woodside 48 53 Middlemarch 63 30 WHERE THE TURN-OVER OCCURRED.

The following return, which shows tbe polling at the principal booths at. the lastGeneral Election, indicates in what way Mr Edie secured his majority yesterday : Allen. Edie. Milton 512 415 Stilling 50 112 Kaitangata 234 646 Waitahuna 145 87 Lawrence 262 227 Middle-march 98 S3 Mornona 90 31 Milburn 60 56 Woodside 88 59 Lovells Flat 78 71 Fairfax 61 77 Weatherstones 24 45 Balclutha North ... 67 68 Berwick 55 46 Hillend 57 14 Greenfield 63 17 Akatore 26 17 THE NEW MEMBER. T Mr John Edie, a native of New South Wales, came to Nov. - Zealand when a boy, and was educated at the Waitahuna School, under the late Mr Daniel Clarke; On leaving school ho worked on his father’s farm at Waitahuna for four years. Ho then joined a survey party as a cadet, under the late Mr C. W. Adams. In 1876 Mr Edie, when 20 years of age, was appointed assistant surveyor to tho Government Department, being employed all over Otago, and for several years' in the Gatlins River bush district. 'Fifteen years ago Mr Edie was appointed engineer for the Tuapeka County, a position ho holds at the present time. He has taken an active interest in the mining industry in Otago, and has also followed farming pursuits. He has a farm of 900 acres at tuapeka Vest, this bring worked in conjunction with farms belonging to his two sons. He is at present Mayer of Lawrence.

PRIME MINISTER ON THE RESULT. With reference to the result of the Brace by-election, Mr Massey said : Naturally, X accept the decision of the electors of Brace in the same spirit as if the election had resulted in the return of -the Government candidate. Remembering that at the General Election Sir James Allen secured only a small majority, it is not surprising that Mr Edio should have defeated Mr Begg, a new candidate, who, under the circumstances, has put up a splendid fight, and who will in future, I am confident, find his way into the councils of tho nation. It is ‘to bo regretted at by-elections that full voting strength in any constituency is seldom exercised. The question now is, as it was at the General Election in December last, whether a sound and stable Government shall guide and control the destinies of the Dominion during the difficult period of reconstruction upon which wo have entered, and which, for several years will have to be dealt with., and. I hope, successfully, by those in authority.” PRESS COMMENT. [Special to the ' SrAn,’] CHRISTCHURCH. April 15. The ‘ Press ’ says ; “ The Opposition vail make most of the victory of Mr Edie as proof that tho tide that flowed strongly in favor of Mr*Massey in December has now turned against him. But this is absurd. The narrow defeat of tho Government candidate was due purely to local factors. Tho total number of votes cast was some 1,400 fewer than in December, and in all likelihood Mr Begg lost because bis supporters were so sure of bis victory that they did not trouble to iccord their votes. While, therefore, ave regret the result of yesterday’s polling, for Mr Begg would hav© made a most useful M.P., w© do not regard it as a disaster. The Government are still strong enough to carry out their policy, and will not b© any the worse for the Opposition having secured another recruit,”