HE GREY AID WESTLAND SEATS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 December 1911, Page 3

HE GREY AID WESTLAND SEATS.

the licensing poll.

YESTERDAYS POLLING-RETIRING MEMBERS AGAIN RETURNED

GUINNESS' MAJORITY 1062,— SEDDON'S MAJORITY 282.

The contest for the Grey seat between Sir Arthur Guinness (Government) and Air. P. C. Webb (the Labor nominee) created considerable interest yesterday, the. polling b*ing exceptionally heavy. Both candidates were early on the Mar-path and had the active assistance of their many supporters who left no stone untiuhcd to bring the Voters to the poll.- The arrangements, us of yore, were excellent and on all sides high eneoniums were passed on the Returning Officer (Mr. B. Harper) for the excellent manner in which he had carried out his duties.

raised the antagonism of the Prohibitionists- by proposing a national poll only and of the trade by adhering to tlie bare majority. They advocated only a national poll because it was not right that small areas should go '"dry" and others remain '"wet." Say for Hokitika to go "dry" and Greymouth to remain "wet" or vice versa. In any case, if the evil existed in one district, it also existed as a national evil and should be dealt with as such. Personally he thought it better to have the

"wet" behind the hotel bar than in the homes of the working people. (Hear, hear).

THE VOTING. The returns commenced to come in shortly after eight o'clock, but it was not long before the return of S'.r 'Arthur Guinness was beyond all doubt. The veteran secured overwhelming majorities in Greymouth and Reefton, while Mr. Webb's strongholds were Runanga and Blackball, which places gave heavy majorities for the Labor candidate. The details of the voting arc as follows : Booth. Guinness, \velib.

Mr Webb continued that he appreciated to the full the victory of his opponent, and, believing as he did in the rule of the majority, he cheerfully submitted to their decision. It was a regrettable fact that leaders of some Labor organisations had signed the nomination of his opponent, a Sir. (Interruptions). This he did not interpret as indicating that the rank and tile of, say the Wharf Laborers' Union, whose President and Secretary had signed Sir Arthur Guinness's nomination, were opposed to him. (Voices : No, and hooting). Their officers had been used to keep their own working class back. (Considerable interruption, cheering and hooting). Mr Webb added that the 2,500 votes recorded for him. that day showed that the people of the West Coast were not afraid of the so-called revolutionary doctrines. (Hear, hear). He would not despair ; they were only temporarily defeated. The ultimate victory, would be theirs. He had no desire to go on the floor of the House unless he had two or thre comrades with him to , tight, in season and out of season, for the emancipation of the working class. (Cheers). He would continue to do his best in that direction. Personally he enjoyed good health and strength and would be quite happy to go back to the mine at Runanga,, where in the past he had spent a happy time. He was proceeding to scathingly condemn some scurrilous advertisements in the local press when there was an outburst of considerable cheering • and the singing' of "We'll keep the Red Flag Flying." Continuing, Mr Webb said that he had fought a clean, .honourable and straight-forward light and would sooner be out of Parliament than in it if he had to resort to questionable' tactics. All dirty and despicable work had been brushed aside. In concluding Mr Webb appealed for working class unity,so that when the Labour Party appeared before them three years hence, they would be able tc put their nominee, whoever he may be at the top of the polk Personally he returned his sincere thanks to all who had supported him as the representative of a movement which was destined to occupy a commanding position in the country's politics before long- ii Three hearty cheers were tlien given for the sneaker. . Thereafter Mr Webb was earned shoulder high from the Town. Hall to the Railway Station, his supporters, numbering several hundreds and including a large number of women marching-to the strains of 'We U keep the Red Flag Flying," sung with the utmost vim.

The total number of informal votes cast was 65. SIR ARTHUR GUINNESS.

After the poll had been declared Sir Arthur Guinness addressed a large crowd from the balcony of Revington's Hotel. The members of the various 'Committees that had worked for him were assembled around him, and as he came forward to speak he received a rousing cheer. He said :Mr Chairman and members of my committees, ladies and gentlemen, I have once more to thank you for the high honour you have done me in electing me as your representative. This is the tenth time in succession that 3'ou have so honoured me. I have to thank the members of my committees for the way they have worked in my interests, and to whose efforts I owe the large majority by which I have been elected. I also desire to thank my opponent for the honourable and 1 straightforward manner in which he fought the election. I hope that any little misunderstanding that may have ocurred will be forgotten. I can assure those who voted for my opponent that I am perfectly satisfied with their action as they have a. perfect right to exercise the privileges conferred upon them by. the franchise in the manner they think fit. I can assure them that now the election is over I include tlnjm among my constituents as well as those who voted in my favour and T. will always endeavour to work in their interests as well as for the general benefit of the constituency.

Sir Arthur concluded by calling for three hearty cheers for his opponent and the response was most hearty. MR WEBB'S ADDRESS. Mr P. C. Webb, shortly before 11 p.m., adressed several hundred people who had assembled outside the Town Hall. On mounting the improvised rostrum, Mr Webb was greeted with prolonged cheering, followed by the singing of "We'll keep the Hod Flag flying." When eventually silence had been gained, Mr Webb said that he was not discouraged for although defeated personally, he recognised that Labor had in reality achieved a victory. When he decided to stand, he did not expect to win, but had contested the seat as a direct protest against the existing industrial and political conditions. (Hear, hear). If defeated, he still had fought a clean, honorable and straight-forward battle. (Cheers). It was easier to feol the people with platitudes than with the truth, but he had left the former alone and fought for the truth, and for the down-trodden working class. (Applause). He was pleased* to know that over 2,500 in the Grey electorate had voted for a man in direct rebellion to a system which was crushi-g the worker. (At this stage, three cheers were rriven for Mr Webb). Continuing, Mr Webb said that he had fought and would continue to fight acrainst exploitation and robbery and for the freedom of suffering humanity. He trusted that the workers would stand shoulder to shoukler for the purpose of becoming united in the great fight to come. They had already clone splendid work. Three years ago, a Labor man would hardly have secured 500 votes. That he had received 2500 that day, bore eloquent' testimony to he growing force of Labor on the West "Coast. (Applause). Labor aspired to a higher, grander and nobler civilisation and it rested with the working class to work out. its own salvation ; its own emancipation. The splendid majorities at the State l\lir>e and Blackball gave the lie. direct to those who had asserted that Labor would be defeated on its own ground. They had stood firm and spoke with a practically unanimous voice for the Labor nominee. (Cheers). Just as Runanga had given the first signal, so surelv also had the first shot been fired in the battle which would bring to an end the existing conditions. Thev were triumphant in the cause of Labor; his "victory was the greater because 2.500 had mined them in the class conscious struggle. (Applause). He had every respect for the man or woman who "voted according to their lights and conscience but he had no respect for those persons who allowed, them selves to be used by another class for the purpose of crushing their own class. (A voice : Your right, Paddy). Reverting to the political questions of the day! Mr Webb said that his party had lost votes on account, of its platform and the liquor question. They

THE GREY POLL.

Gieymouih .. 1937 807 Reef ton .. 653 329 Cobden .. 252 173 Seven Mile 16 2Tinny town 23 25 Canoe Creek 15 10 Rvnanga 84 418 Drnollifl 73 141 Bins Site .. 21 ' 13 Rewanui 8 32 Slate Extension 2 13 32 Taylorville 87 92 PJackbal] .. 137 • 301 Roa 12 26 Moonlight .. 16 2 Atarau 32 1 Ikamatua 43 31 Blackwater .. 36 36 Mawheraiti .. 20 6 nntonio's Flat .. 16 9 Tawhai 8 1 Waitaha 12 5 Globe Hill 27 40 MeiTijisp 12 0 Big River 27 i . , 18 Total .. 3581 2519 GREYMOUTH AND REEFTON. The returns from the individual booths in Greymouth and Reefton , are as follews :— Place. Guinness. Webb. Town Hall .. 788 438 Courthouse .. 151 52 State School .. 499 109 Brothers' School .. 260 63 County Council 99 53 Hospital 45 18 Blaketown 95 43 Council, Reef ton .. 334 177 School, Reet'ton .. 144 71 Broadway, Reet'ton .. 152 70 Railway Station, Reefton 23 11

Con. i\ T :L. Ag'st For AT P XT P Town Hall ,. 258 178 IN .«- 205 220 Town Hall .. 233 147 174 196 Town Hall ; . 231 167 172 217 Courthouse . 64 42 50 57 Courthouse .. 25 18 21 19 Courthouse . 25 18 22 20 High School . 163 133 135 161 High School ,. 151 150 122 182 Brothers' School .. 276 47 247 67 Comity Chambers ,. 90 62 68 80 K( spital . 40 25 32 32 Blflketown . 67 66 51 83 Cobden . 88 83 64 105 Cobden .. 106 136 83 157 Rxpahoe .. 10 8 8 10 Eanytown . 30 18 29 18 Ci noe Creek 9 15 7 18 Runanpa . 112 113 66 154 Eunanga . 135 133 85 186 Dunollie . 115 92 90 114 Bin/Site . 19 15 14 19 Rewamii . 15 22 12 27 No. 2 State Collieries Extension . 32 11 27 18 Taylorville 76 95 55 122 Blackball . 134 87 106 107 Blackball . 126 83 90 117 Roa . 24 15 20 19 Moonlight (Atarau) 24 8 19 12 Jkamntua . 61 14 56 20 Blackwater . 43 28 40 31 Taw ha i 4 5 5 4 Bcefton :— O'linty Chambers . . 139 92 114 116 County Chambers . . 155 109 125 142 Schoolhouse . 93 112 78 130 Broadway . 166 55 138 78 Railway Station .. 19 13 9 18 Wailahu 9 9 9 9 Globe Hill .. . 29 37 28 39 Merrijigs 8 4 6 6 Big River . 27 • 18 24 21 Mawheraiti 20 6 17 8 Antonios 16 9 13 11 Moonlight 12 4 8 10 Totals 3489 2502 2749 3180