THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13933, 15 December 1905, Page 5

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

TAIERI. The following official returns hav* been announced:— Donald Reid (0.) . . 2320 A. Marshall (G.) . . 1784 Informal . . . .40 INVERCARGILL. The official count of the Invercargili election poll was concluded at daybreak vesterday, the final figures being:— J. H. Hanan (G.) .' . 3772 J. W. Raymond (O.) . . 1840 W. A. Morris (L.L.) '. . 862 Informal . . . - .106 i A LABOUR MANIFESTO. ' AN APPEAL FOR FURTHER j EFFORT. 4 The Executive of the Independent , Political Labour League has issued a manifesto on the results of the elections. The manifesto, which is addressed to members of the League, is as follows : Fellow Workers,—The defeat of the' League candidates at the recent election is, without doubt, a matter that calls for some comment by your Executive, and therefore we deem it our duty to communicate to you our views on the subject. are of opinion that the defeat of our candidates was due almost entirely to the overwhelming odds against which they had .to contend, i There was arraigned against them the influence of the Government, the' Oppor sition, the New Liberal Party and* the Press, as well as the active opposition of a large number of trade union officials and members of the trades and labour organisations. They had also tq struggle against the carefully-fostered' and assiduously disseminated impression that votes given to Labour candidates would be thrown away. Under these circumstances,, it would appear that our attempt to secure the returni of Independent Labour candidates waa somewhat in the nature of a forlorn hope, but it is due to ourselves to say that, while \ve f did not overlook or under-estimate the difficulties to be eu< countered, our mistake was that we ex-« j pected to receive from the workers a I more loyal and substantial support than .they were prepared to concede. It would seem also, in view of the facta - that .our attempt to create an independent Labour Party in Parliament was in some degree premature, but' it must not be overlooked that there must be a beginning ' to all reforms, and, therefore, the recent election waa deemed by us a fitting opportunity to show that the League is organised for prac* tioal "purposes and not as a mere academical institution. Wo recognise that the magnitude of the work we haVe undertaken —namely, the formation of an Independent Labour Party—appears greater by what has happened, but we know that there is no existing obstaoia or opposition to the movement that cannot be overcome by patiept effort . and determination. We therefore urge you to strive by every means to increase the- numerical- strength of th« League, for we feel that in the existence of a large and influential political labour organisation, and in that alone, . lies the future welfare of tie democracy of New' Zealand. To our candidates . who have fallen in the contest we extend our sympathy, and we convey to .- them our appreciation of the honourable and gallant manner in which they fought for the Labour cause. For the Executive — JOHN RIGG, President. JOHN BALL, General Secretary. r