RAGLAN SEAT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 30 September 1927, Page 5

RAGLAN SEAT

WON BV LABOUR.

MAJORITY OF 159 DETAILS OF THE POLL. (by TELEGRAPH—press ASSOCIATION.) NGARUAWA'HIA, Sept. 29. Victory for the Labour candidate, Mr W. Lee Martin, was the result, of the Raglan by-election to fill the vacancy ixi the House of Representatives caused by the death of the Hon. R. F. Bollard, Minister of nlternal Affairs. The voting for the five candidates resulted as follows: — Mr. W. Lee Martin (Labour) .. 2187 Mr A. 11. Waring (Reform) .... 2028 Mr. T. Parker (Liberal) 1089 Mr C. A. Magner (Country Party) 527 Mr W. J. Taylor (Independent Reform) 195 Majority for Lee (Martin .. 159

There is one small return to come, which is not available to-night, but- it cannot affect the result. Tiie return still to come consists of not more than 18 votes, and in additii n there are about 100 absentee votes still to come. The official. count begins on Monday.

The candidates addressed a crowd after the result was made known, and Air Parker announced his intention of contesting the seat again at the next election in the T- T -- " '-'‘crests.

The result of the polls at the last two previous elections were as follow: 1922—-R. F. Bollard (Reform) 3494. S. €. G. Lye (Liberal) ">7lB, E. Piggott (Labour) 99. 1925—R. F. Bollard (Reform) 4470. E. Piggott. (Labour) 1(114, «. €. G. Lve (National) 965 R. D. Dr.xfield (Country Party) 222.

DTTE TO VOTE-SPLITTING

THE PRIME MINISTER’S OPINION. WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) made the following statement this evening:— “The result of the Raglan by-elec-tion is- due to vote-splitting on the part of those opposed to the policy of the Labour Socialists. “The seat, has gone to the Labour Party on a minority vote, but I predict with confidence that to-day’s verdict will be reversed at the general election, provided there are not too many candidates anxious to demonstrate their opposition to the. principles of the Socialistic Party. “I feel sure that one result of this contest will be to consolidate the forces in the community which are definitely opposed to the platform of the Labour Pa rt v. ’ ’

MR, LEE MARTIN’S 'CAREER. For the past, fifteen years Mr W. Lee Martin, the successful Labour candidate has been dairying at Matangi, Waikato. die is a shareholder of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., and has for many years been an ardent advocate of extended, co-operation among farmers. He is a member of the Labour movement, beginning his' activities in the Labour interest when he became secretary of the Painters’ Union in Wanganui in 1909, a position which he held until 1912. He was for four years a member -of the Board of Governors of the Wanganui Technical College, and for seven years a member of the Tamaherc Road Board, being for two years its chairman.

He gained previous experience in electioneering when he contested the Hamilton seat in 1925. Amongst other public work he has served as a member of the Workers’ Educational Association, an executive member of the League of Nations Union, a member of the Auckland Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union, president of the Waikato Farmers’ Union (1926 and 1927) and a member of the Central Electric Power Board since its inception seven years ago.

A CLEAN CONTEST. OPINION OF LEADER OF OPPOSITION. WELLINGTON, Sept. 30. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, states that Raglan was one of the cleanest contests he had taken part in. It was quite free from personal attacks and was fought on’principles. He claimed that the disappearance of the late Mr. R. F. Bollard’s 3COO majority showed dissatisfaction with the 'Government. The election of Mr. Lee Martin, a farmer, disposed of the bogey that the Labour Pffrtv was inimical to the farmer. WHAT SIR JOSEPH WARD SAID. Sir Joseph Ward said that, so long as the first past the post system was in force there must be uncertainty with a number of candidates. The turnover of so many votes since last election was quite remarkable and indicates that public, opinion is moving rapidly in the direction of a change. Mr. Parker was a fine stamp* of a man and his day would come if he wished it.