The Northern Advocate Daily THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1935. THE LYTTELTON BY-ELECTION

Northern Advocate, 25 July 1935, Page 6

The Northern Advocate Daily

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1935. THE LYTTELTON BY-ELECTION

Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper.

As expected, the Lyttelton byelection, yesterday, resulted in the return of Mr T. H. McCombs. Hearty congratulations will be extended to him by members of all political parties upon winning, so handsomely, as a novice, a seat which has 'been occupied by the McCombs family for a great many years. On the death of his father, the late Mr J, McCombs, in 1933, his mother contested the resultant by;eleetion, which she won in a most decisive manner by a majority of 2669 votes. Mrs McCombs, who made history by becoming New Zealand’s first woman M k P., proved herself a valuable Parliamentarian, and her death was regretted by everyone. To fight the byelection thus occasioned, Labour chose Mr T. H. McCombs to wear the mantle worn by his father and his mother. The electors, yesterday showed in a convincing manner their desire that the son should wear that mantle in the name of the electorate. Thus has come about a unique situation in New Zealand political life, the Lyttelton seat having been occupied by father,' mother and son. So far as the significance of the result of the by-election is concerned, different interpretations will no doubt be placed upon it. By-elections in this country, of course, do not possess the significance attached to such contests in Britain, where the direction in which parties are heading is learned from municipal elections and Parliamentary by-elections. As a matter of tactics, in view of the nearness of the general election to be held at the end of the present year, the National Party might have allowed the Labour Party to retain the seat as a compliment and a tribute to the McCombs family, but it chose the more difficult way, by selecting an able man to carry its banner in tile contest. For this placing of principle before expediency the Government is to be commended. The result of the election, much as Labour and Mr McCombs are to be congratulated upon it, does not really affect the political situation, for the people of the Dominion cannot be said to have been given a definite pointer to the. result of the general election, it is largely a ease of “as you were,” for though both Government and Opposition may claim to have gained ground, the circumstances under which the by-election was held qualify such claims. Lyttelton has consistently manifested Radical proclivities, though it must'be remembered that in 1925 Mr M. E. Lyons, who was the Reform opponent of the late Mr .J. McCombs, was beaten by only one vote, the total polled by him being 4899 against 4900 by the winner. Apart from that occasion, Labour has always won .the seat by large majorities. To that extent, therefore, with the addition of sentimental reasons, the return of Mr McCombs yesterday was to be expected. But, on the other hand, it must

be remembered that the Government had as its candidate Mr M. E. Lyons, who is admittedly a man of personality and capacity. It is true that Mr Lyons adopted

on occasion an attitude more in keeping with an Independent than a staunch party map, and, oh that account, may have reduced the vote which might otherwise have been accorded Mm by supporters of j the party in power. Then, again, yesterday’s polling was much smaller than on the occasion of the previous by-elee--1 tion, the difference being 1017. In those circumstances Labour might have been expected to poll more than it did. The fact that it did not do so would seem to suggest that even a traditionally Radical constituency realises that the Government’s navigation of the ship of state during the economic storm has more admirers than some critics would have the country believe. However, as we ■have said, the circumstances under • which' the by-election was fought wereunique, and, though . partisans will naturally endeavour fo make capital of the result, the political outlook cannot be said to have been materially altered by the polling which took place yesterday.