Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, SEPT. 11, 1930. DECLINE IN LABOUR VOTE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 245, 11 September 1930, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, SEPT. 11, 1930. DECLINE IN LABOUR VOTE

The decline in the vote for Labour at the recent JBromley by-election is significant. Compared with the results at the general election there was a fall ot 41 per cent. The poll certainly was not a large one, only 53 per cent, of the electors voting, and the fact that the byelection was held on a holiday wili probably be held by the Labour Party as the reason for the lessened vote. At the general election the Labour candidate, Mr Ashworth, received 10,105 votes, compared with 5942 last week, while for the Liberal nominee, Mr Fordham, 18,372 were recorded on the former occasion and 11,176 on the latter, the decline in his case being 39 per cent. Notwithstanding the Conservative vote was split by the entrance of a candidate in the interests of the United Empire Party formed by Lord Rothermere and Lord Beaverbrook, the party managed to retain the seat from the Liberal nominee, the majority of the general election, 7700, being reduced to 1606. Because Mr Redwood obtained 9,483 votes the Daily Express, the leading organ of the United Empire Party, finds that a “clear deduction to be drawn from the election is that the only issue possessing political vitality and appeal is a policy of Empire free trade.” Such an expression of opinion, however, seems so premature as to be dismissed as exuberance for a cause which has yet to make material headway. Mr Redwood’s candidature resulted in a sharp controversy. The successful candidate, Mr Campbell, was pledged to vigorous Empire trading and to Mr Baldwin’s leadership and it was felt that the intrusion of Mr Redwood considerably prejudiced his chances. This was correct, but fortunately did not prevent Mr Campbell’s election. Mr Redwood now charges the Conservatives with having conducted a campaign of personal A T ilification against him which cost him a “considerable number of votes.” What the campaign alleged is not made clear, but part of the literature issued from the Conservative Central Office in regard to Mr Redwood recalled his political activities in Queensland where he stood for Toowoomba as an Independent pledged to support the Socialists, and ° made speeches advocating nationalisation. This was promptly denied by Mr Redwood who apparently feels very aggrieved at the result of the election.

Commenting on the result of the Shettleston by-election held in June, at which the Labour majority of 6724 at the general election

was reduced to 396, an English paper says:. “We have a position in which the Labour and Conservative votes have dwindled jointly in the ratio of about five and two. Whiio such a backsliding of political responsibility in any constituency always must be a serious matter, the causes are manifest, and promise well for the Conservative Party at the next general election. Until recently the Labour Party was the party of perfervid missionary zeal and could rely only upon its own disciples. Eor various reasons this state of affairs no longer obtains, and the Labour Party now enjoys, and suffers from, the ephemeral vagaries of an uncertain electorate, which, for lack of a better designation, usually are termed ‘the swing of the pendulum.’ On the next appeal to the country what we may call the floating balance of electoral support will be greater than it has been hitherto. The constituencies are beginning to realise that a vote cast for a Liberal candidate is a vote wasted. The electorate is reaching a point when it is becoming aware that its only useful choice at the ballot boxes is between Conservatives and Socialists. The Socialists have had their chance, and not only have they failed, but they have failed calamitously. It is vital, therefore, that the Conservative Party should be a solid alternative, and not offer two separate schools of thought to a bemused people.”