ELECTION IN IRELAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21112, 20 February 1932, Page 9

ELECTION IN IRELAND.

ADDITIONAL RESULTS. CLOSE FINISH EXPEGTED. FEATURES OF THE TOLL. ME. COSGRAVE'S BIG VOTE. SETBACK FOR LABOUR. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received February 10. 10.5 p.m.) DUBLIN. Feb. 19. The latest general election returns in the Irish Free State show the presentstate of parties to be:— Government . . .... 32 Republicans (Fianna Fail) . . 46 Independents . . . . . . 10 Labour 7 The President of the Dail, Mr. W. T. Cosgrave, has increased his vote by 1000 but the leader of the Fianna Fail, Mr. Eamonn de Valera, lias dropped 1400. Mr. E. Byrne, Mayor of Dublin, who stood at the request of Mr. Cosgrave, has been elected., Mr. Dan Breen (Republican), an Irish Republican Army veteran, has been elected for Tipperary. At 4 a.m. to-day the indications were that there will be a close finish. A change of Government is not yet certain, though Mr. do Valera's party may be the strongest unit. Mr. Cosgrave has complained of the vagaries of the proportional representation system, but he has reason now to bless it because it lias enabled some of his candidates to scrape home from near the bottom of the poll. The total Government poll in North Dublin was 36,000 against 25,000 for Mr. de Valera's party. The highest poll in the whole of the Free State was Mr. Cosgrave's. Nevertheless, the Government's candidates appear to have dropped votes almost everywhere. The electors have rewarded Labour's alliance with the Republicans by defeating many L'abour candidates. All the Communist candidates have been rejected. The Republicans have gained two seats from tho Government, two from the Independents and one from Labour. The following have been elected:— Dublin City, North, Mrs. Collins-O'Dris-coll (Government); Lorigford-Westmeath, General Maceoin (Government); Cork, Mr. R. S. Anthony (Independent Labour) ; Tipperary, Mr. D. Morrissev (Independent Labour). The two last-named were expelled from the Labour Party in October for supporting the Public Safety Bill.