DUNEDIN BY-ELECTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 July 1945, Page 4

DUNEDIN BY-ELECTION

LABOUR’S SMALL MAJORITY DUNEDIN, July 22. By a greatly-reduced majority, . which was nevertheless acclaimed by ( the Labour Party as an adequate ‘ manifestation of confidence in the Government and hailed by the Oppo- , sition as a tremehdous moral victory 1 the official Labour candidate, Mr R.' Walls, retained the seat for Labour ‘ at the Dunedin North by-election on Saturday against Mr N. H. Jones . (National). On the preliminary - count, Mr 'Walls has a majority of ; 738—a substantial reduction on the . majority of nearly 2800 gained byi Mr J. W. Munro at the last General Election. ' . I The election 'brought to a close a period of intensive campaigning, such | as Dunedin has seldom seen, and one in which the organisations of both parties worked at high pressure and with considerable efficiency. The campaign was free from, personal recriminations and acrimony, both the candidates, as well as speakers brought from Parliament to support | in the respective causes, sedulously avoiding the introduction of undigni-1 fied and unseemly imputations. The result of the poll was:— Walls 6316 Jones .. •; • • 5578 Majority for Walls .. 738 Voting in the previous election for the seat was as follows:— 1943: J. W. Munro (Labour) 8038, A. L. S. Cassie (National), 5240; F. A. Keane (Independent), 858; C. M. Moss (Democratic Soldier’ Labour), 263. Majority for Munro, 2798. MR FRASERS ESTIMATE DUNEDIN, July 22. In a statement after the result had been made known, the Prime Minister said that in spite of attempts made bv the Opposition to exploit snort-, ages ana other difficulties which the, war had brought abouj, the electors of Dunedin North had given the Labour Party authority to proceed with its progressive policy. The result of the by-election had been very much as expected. Mr Walls was a good candidate, and he had done well to win a seat on the first occasion he submitted himself .for election His majorities would increase in future years. The Prime Minister added ihat the future of the Labour Government was assured. MR HOLLAND’S VIEW WELLINGTON, July 22. “The figures in Saturdays byelection are so decisive and clear that : they speak for themselves, said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. ■ Holland) to-day. “In one of Labours ‘safest seats’ Labour had its majority ■ reduced from 2800 in 1943 to well under 800 last Saturday, with the possibility of the majority being sail ■ further reduced when absentee votes • are counted.” , „ Mr Holland said the result w as , particularly interesting because there 1 were no complicating factors such as ' independent candidates. The Lab °\ l * i nominee, Mr Walls, was one of the 1 most popular men in the movement. ■ and was very well known because of . his many years’ service on local , bodies in Dunedin. The Nat ■ didate, Mr Jones, was a brilliant • young returned soldier who was , quite unknown before his selection. . He would certainly be heard of again.