Variations In Party Votes In Westland

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 November 1949, Page 6

Variations In Party Votes In Westland

Tomorrow’s General Election will inevitably bring its discussions regarding the voting strengths of the two main political parties in Westland in comparatively recent years, and in this connection it is interesting to 1 note that Labour’s majority in the by-election of 1947 was the smallest recorded since 1931, when Mr J. W. Greenslade ran the late Mr O’Brien to slightly over 1000 votes. There have been two spectacular changes in the voting in those 18 i years. The first was when, following i the electoral boundary changes prior 1 to the 1946 election (bringing mining districts into Westland at the expense of Buller) Mr O’Brien greatly increased his majority over Mr E. F. Chivers, who had previously succeeded in reducing it substantially. The next big change was in the by- , election two years ago when Mr J. F. Lockington cut the Labour majority back by well over 2000 votes. This election marked, the entry to Parliament of Mr J. B. Kent, who is seeking re-election on this occasion. i The results of the last six elections . in Westland have been as follows: — : 1947: J. B. Kent (Labour) 7408; J. F. Lockington (National) 54Q3. Majority for Kent 2005. 1946:* J. O’Brien (L) 9097; E. F. Chivers (N) 4381;. majority for O’Brien 4716. I 1943: J. O’Brien (L) 6331; E. F. 1 Chivers (N.) 3769; majority for i O’Brien 2562. | 1938: J. O’Brien (L) 7121; E. B. E. Taylor (N) 3636; majority for O’Brien 3485. i 1935: J. O’Brien (L) 6523; H. R. 'Young (C.) 3359; majority for O’Brien 3164. I 1931: J. O’Brien (L) 4919; J. W. Greenslade 3888; majority . for O’Brien 1031. ■’ In the above, final figures are given in the first three cases and the other figures are on the preliminary count only. ■