AWARUA BY-ELECTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 October 1944, Page 4

AWARUA BY-ELECTION

NATIONAL EASY WIN. INVERCARGILL, October 29. Alter one of the most keenly-fought by-elections for many years, the National Party retained the • Awarua seat in the House of Representatives on Saturday by a majority of more than 2000. The final figures, including the votes of personnel in the forces in New Zealand and overseas, were:— G. Herron (National) . . 4659 L. S. O’Sullivan (Labour) . . 2558 R. J. Henderson (Real Democracy) 249 Majority for Herron . . 2101 Mr. Henderson lost his deposit. Mr. Herron had majorities at 46 of 49 polling booths. Tne three exceptions were Bluff, Greenhills (near Bluff), and Halfmoon Bay (Newman Island). The poll'was not large. A total of 7456 votes was cast, compared with a roll number of 10,649. About 100 absentee votes are yet to be counted Service votes showed a majority for Mr. Herron, the figures being: Mr. Herron 44, Mr. O’Sullivan 37, Mr. Henderson 2. The Awarua seat became . vacant when Brigadier J. Hargest was kined while on active service m Normanay. Voting at the last two General ElectiOl93BV —J. Hargest (N.) 5224, J. A. Beck (L.) 4564. Majority for Hargest 66 1935. —J. Hargest (N.) 3651, J. F. Doyle (L.) 2701, L. A. Niederer (DJ 2182, N. Mclntyre (I.) 301. Majority for Hargest 950.

MR. HOLLAND’S COMMENT CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 29. “The defeat of Labour at the Awarua by-election is too overwhelming to be explained away by the Government,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland). “The electorate judged most decisively between the Government’s past administration and promises for the future and the policy of the National Party. By a sweeping majority the programme of the National Party was endorsed.” There was much to be learned from the by-election, Mr. Holland said, Awarau was a very mixed electorate, and included large fishing, waterfront, freezing, and industrial elements, especially at Bluff, Stewart Island, and the suburbs of Invercargill, and also many small farms in the rural areas. On a poll so far recorded ot 2300 below that of the 1938 General Election, the National candidate had raised a majority of 660 to a majority of 2101, the percentage of votes cast rising from 53 per cent, to 62 per cent. While Labour had a majority at eight booths in 1938, it secured a majority at only three booths on Saturday, and those booths recorded a swing away from Labour, the percentage of votes for the Government of 47 having, dropped to just over 33. In the past the Labour Party had allowed several by-elections to go by default, but on this occasion it made no secret of its confidence in winning Awarua, and so checking the remarkable progress in other parts of the National Party. The Government had a capable candidate, and as he was supported by all its front-line speakers, including the Prime Minister and Mr. Nash, in every part of the electorate, it could have no excuse this time.

“Speaking during the campaign, the Prime Minister urged the electors of Awarua to think and to study Labour’s promises for the post-war years and then to decide if that was the type of Government they wanted,” Mr. Holland said. “The people gave their answer in terms that cannot be misunderstood by anyone, for the National candidate and speakers discussed our plans for a the future. While we are naturally pleased with the result, the National Party will not be carried away by this latest vote of confidence. It will give us encouragement to work harder than ever in our preparations for the task of government in 1946, if not sooner. Mr. George Herron, the new member for Awarua, will be a valuable addition to the strength of the Opposition, and we shall now be.able to register our full voting strength of 34 for the first time.”