IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16550, 14 May 1914, Page 7

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

BY-ELECTION

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, May 12. The by-election for Great Grimsby, caused by the death of the sittiug Unionist member, Sir George Doughty, resulted as follows: Mr Tickler (Unionist) , 8471 Mr Bannister (Liberal) , 8193 Unionist majority „ 278 Although no doubt tho result of the Great Grimsby by-election will be heralded forth as an anti-Home Rule victory, such a contention is-not justified, 1 since the Conservative majority has actually suffered a declino of 420. The history of the constituency is not uninteresting, although it must be admitted that it has shown little consistency during the last quarter of a century. At the general election held in 1886, just after the defeat of Mr Gladstone's Home liule Bill, and which resulted in placing the Conservatives in power for six years, the seat was won by the Right Hon E. Heneage (now Lord Heneage), one of tho dissatisfied Liberals, who followed the lead of Mr Chamborlcin. He defeated the Liberal candidate bv 333 votes.

In 1892 the seat was won by tliQ Liberal candidate, Mr H. Josse, who defeated Mr Heneage by 636. In March of the following year Mr Josse tendered his resignation, and at the byelection which followed the constituency reverted to th-3 Unionists, Mr Heneage defeating his Liberal opponent, the late Mr Henry Broadhurst, by 984 votes. At the general election in 1895 the liberal candidate was Mr George Doughty,, who succeeded in turning the tables on Mr Heneage, winning the scat with 181 votes to spare. Three years later, in August, 1898, M'r Doughty announced his conversion to the Unionist faith, and tendered his resignation. He stood again as a. supporter of Mr Balfour, and polled 4940 votes against 3189 and 204 cast for his Liberal and Independent Conservative opponents respectively. At the general election in 1900, Mr Doughty, as he then was, was returned unopposed, in 1906, the year of the great Conservative debacle, Sir George Doughty was one of the party who succeeded in retaining his seat, the figures being:—Sir George Doughty (C.) 6349, H. H. Haldenatein (L.) 4040, T. Proctor (Lab.) 2248. At the first general election held in 1910, Sir George Doughty suffered defeat |it the hands of his Liberal opponent, Mr T. E. Wing, now member for the Houghton-le-Spring Division of Durham, the Liberal majority being 322. At the second general election in December of tho Name year. Sir George Doughty was able to turn tho tables on his previous conqueror, winning with 098 votes to spare. Compared with three- and a-half years ago. the Liberal vote shows .an increase of 988 and tho Conserratiye vote of 568, whilst tho Conservative majority shows J a shrinkage of 420. \