LABOR AT LYTTELTON.

NZ Truth, Issue 444, 20 December 1913, Page 3

LABOR AT LYTTELTON.

Democracy's Decision.

Pack to the Ballot Box, Boys.

<From "Truth's" 'Chrtetchurch Rep.)

With'last Tuesday's success of Mr. Jainea c M.cConibn, the Social Democratic'party's candidate for thu Lytteltori ■ seat, the bottom has been knocked clean out of one of tho most virulent and vituperative electioneering campaigns that has over boen known lv the Dominion. From the commencement of the fight, the Deform, candidate's runners, backed by a calumnious "day-Jio" press, havo stopped at nothingr-no matter how low down or' dirty^-to misrepresent and damage the chances of tho .Social Democratic candidate. , Mr. McCombs was stamped by the. Defbnners as being the "representatives of tho rift-raff of the community. The electors were told that, m casting their' vote for- McCombs .they were practically banging a nail into tho , coffin of the country, , that they encouraging the Federation 'of Labor to prolong the strike, and that 'they were supporting mob nilo Jand overthrowing "law and order. " i A cpmbine<l .effort was, m fact, engineered with a view of-' financially ruining not tho Labor Party, but tho party's candidate. In spite of this disreputable emulation of Yankfto "iron heel" tactics, SfcComb.s polled well above his four ndvorsarica m the first ballot, and headed- Mr. M. J. Miller, the "Defonncr/' by a matter of nearly 300 m tho final polling on Tuesday. In connection with tho volinq: last Tncsday and tho previous Tuesday, it is interesting to notice that of tho doctors who m the first ballot (cast their vote m favor of Liberal , »candidat«. tho bulk votQd lust | Tuesday for tho Reform rcprepentutlvc. Ono of the features of th« election is that m "tho bnvs," a farming centre and the hot-bed of Conservatism, Mr. McOmbs oollcd ■ H7'2 compared with Mr. MjHer's 210 | m tho first ballot. In the week's J Interval between the two ballots, ! Mr. McCombs vialtort four of the bays and enlightened the electors recording the policy of his oarty. That liis cxplonotlop ttticcnrelcd m convincing these Hefornieirs lhat (ho Labor Party was not ouiif as rod n« Mr. -Miller's supporters painted it, ww manifested at lost' Tuesday's Second bollot, when Mr. Mcl'ombs nddefltw>orlv n hundrod vot?s to bi« totaU>vtvhilst Mr. 'Miller Ruined only Bixty-krigUt. Ther-fron! figures on which thfl

Social Democratic Party uppercut tne Masseyites are:— Jnmc3 McConibs 2G28 AT. J, Miller ... ... ##t 2402 Majority ' for Labor '■ ... 2t?o The result will hearten the workers to look forward to the General Election twelve months hence. If there's no salvation m the strike— thsre's at leost hope at the Lalloibox. ,