SECOND BY-ELECTION LOST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18342, 7 March 1923, Page 9

SECOND BY-ELECTION LOST.

LABOUR WINS MITCHAM. CONSERVATIVE VOTE SPLIT. RESIGNATION OF MINISTER. By Telegraph—Preen Association— Copyright. (EeceiTed 4.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, Mar. 5. The Mitcham by-election caused by the retirement of Dr. T. C. Worsfold (Conservative) to provide a seat for Sir A. Griffith Boscawen, Minister for Health, resulted: — Edo (Labour) ... _ 3029 Boscawen (Conservative) ... 7193 Brown (Liberal) 3214 Cattorall (Ind. Conservative) ... 2684 Tn consequence of his failure to secure election, Sir A. Griffith Boscawen has resigned his portfolio. It is expected that Mr. Neville Chamberlain will succeed him. Sir A. Griffith Boscawen. speaking after the declaration of the poll, said he had been beaten by rank treachery. "It is not the defeat of the Conservative Party," ho declared, "but the result of the intrusion of a man calling himself a Conservative who is not a Conservative at all. Mitcham has proved its Conservatism; we will win it back next time." A section of the crowd hooted Mr. Catterall at the declaration of the poll. The new member, Mr. Ede, was formerly an active Liberal in Epsom, but went over to the Labour Party, and is a Labour member in the Surrey County Council. Following its defeats at both East Willesden and Mitcham. it is stated that the Government intends to scrap its Housing Bill and draft another measure, and to postpone the date of rent decontrol. A third by-election will be derided today at Edgehill, Liverpool, "where Mr J. W. Hills, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, is opposed by a Labour candidate. Mr. G. F. Stanley, who was defeated at the East Willesden by-election yesterday, has resigned the portfolio of UnderSecretary for Homo Affairs. The Daily Telegraph says that Mr. \ Bonar Law's inability to find seats for his colleagues on the very morrow of the general election is humiliating beyond precedent. One need not bo surprised if the buffeted and damaged Ministry puts back to dry dock for reconstruction and repairs. The poll at Mitcham at the general election was :— . T. C. Worsfold (Cons-) .'. 10.934 A. E. Bennetts (Lib.) . . 5,898 Misfortune at elections has dogged Sir A. Griffith Boscawen in his Ministerial career. On his appointment 'to Minister for Agriculture by Mr. Lloyd George in February, 1921, "he failed to secure re-election for Dudley and a o«;<n had to be found for him at Taunton. He followed Mr. Bonar Law after the breakup of the Coalition, and was appointed Minister for Health, but Taunton re jected him at the general election in favour of a Liberal Of the five Ministers who were defeated at the general election only one has been elected so Colonel Leslie Wilson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury, who was returned for South Portsmouth on the retirement of Major H. R. Cayzer. One of the defeated Ministers, Mr. James Kidd. resigned his portfolio of UnderSecretary of Health for Scotland, and did not* seek re-election.