A BYE-ELECTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2665, 12 April 1905, Page 26

A BYE-ELECTION.

A BAD GOVERNMENT DEFEAT.

LONDON, April 6.

The election for Brighton, necessitated' by Mx W. E. G. Loder accepting an appointment as Junior Lord of the Treasury, reWilted as follows:— E. Viliiers (Liberal), 8209 ; Loder, 7392. The defeat of Mr Loder caused a tremendous sensation in parliamentary circles.

Mr Herbert Gladstone has written to Lancashire and Cheshire Liberal agents Stating that "the general election must *ome soon. The members of the Government, merely to save their poli>ical skins, have adopted the cowardly *nd humiliating practice of absenting themselves when inconvenient questions arise. There is no precedent for such astonishing action. They dare not face the issues before them, even in the House of Commons, where they continue to crouch, daring not to face the storm Which their misdoings and shortcomings Lave raised from one end of the country to the other. This cannot last, so I say to you, Be ready." Mr Viliiers, addressing the crowd, said the result -was .not more than he expected. fie believed in Englishmen's common sense. This was Brighton's protest against

the Government. It was not a personal matter. Mr Loder was as popular as ever, but tlie Government had sunk.

Mr Loder attributes bis defeat largely to the Church Association turning over many votes on religious questions associated with the Education Bill ; also due to the Chinese labour and fiscal questions.

Sir Edward Clarke declares that the result is chiefly the work of churchmen of the Protestant party.

Newspapers are unanimous that the Brighton election is the worst blow the Government has yefr received.

The Standard (Government) attributes Mr Loder's defeat for Brighton to the geceral impression that the Cabinet lacks vigour, cohesion, and purpose. Mr Balfour should! appeal to his followers for such support as would convince the country that they trust their leaders and believe in their

The Daily News (Radical) says that Mr Loder"s appointment wa« followed by the announcement that the election would be within a week. Surely, argued the Premier, the enemy cannot summon their torces in a week? Mr Balfour had miscalculated the sentiment of the people, and forgotten that there was a point in the degradation of polities beyond which the most faithful community would not follow. The Daily Chronicle (Liberal) declares

that tlie victory means that the electors ■n ill not countenance the hampeiing of Freetrade, whether by Mr Chamberlain's taxation of food or tho insidious taxation oi aiticles disguised as retaliation.

'Ihe Morning Post (Conservative) s<u s that Mr Loder suffered most of all from the Government's army policy.

The Times says that a more s.eiious cause for Mr Lodei's clafeat than the action of the Ivensitites ivas tli/> Lnionists' Juke■warniness. The Times liad previously announced that in th? event of Mr Lodcr's return by ti substantial majority Mr Wentworth, the other member for Brighton, would resicn. and Sir Edward Clarke become the candidate. The prospective candidature of the latter caused' grave dissatisfaction among the Brighton Unionists, wuo never forgave Sir E. Clarke's attitude on the Boer vrar. The paper adds that there is something wrong with the Unionist organisation in permitting such a selection, and thus provoking a strong hostile feeling.

Brighton returns two members to Parliament. At the general election no Liberal candidate came forivard- The polling was: Loder (C), 7858: Wohtworth (C), 6626; J. Kensit (C. and Prot.), 4693.