ELECTED ON MINORITY VOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1931, Page 5

ELECTED ON MINORITY VOTES.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—lt is hoped that the election results will have brought home to some candidates the futility (and danger) of their efforts and that they now realise what important factors they have been in giving victory to the party (Labour) to which they are opposed. A perusal of the figures should also show to Labour, and particularly the Labour leaders, that their jubilation at their so : called progress—an increase of members (from 20 'to 24 in a House of 80) —is quite unjustified. Mr. Holland, with his usual subtle and false reasoning, holds that “the majority Labour has received on this occasion is the forerunner of a stronger majority to come at the next election.” I contend that the figures show just the opposite, and that according to the votes cast Labour would not have won either Auckland East, Roskill, • Gisborne, Wellington North or Timaru in a straight-out contest. The. split votes of the anti-Socialistic candidates, not the voice of the people, gave five Labourites the victory. Taking the figures at present available, one finds that their nominees were elected on minority votes as follows: — Auckland East: Schramm, Labour, 3695 votes; majority 1559. Opponents (anti-Socialistic) votes, 5108; total votes polled 8798; Schramm’s actual minority,' 1413. x ' Roskill: Richards, Labour, 4661 votes; majority 1159, Opponents’ (anti-Social-istic) votes, 7231; total votes polled 11,982; Richards’ actual minority, 2570~ Gisborne: Coleman, Labour, 4162 votes; majority, 234. Opponents’ (antiSocialistic) votes, 5048; total votes polled 9310; Coleman’s actual minority 886. Wellington North: Chapman, Labour, 4175; majority .991. Opponents’ (antiSocialistic) votes, 5268; total votes polled, 9443; Chapman’s actual minority, 1093. . _ x Timaru: Carr, Labour, 5016; majority 739. Opponents’ (anti-Socialistic) votes, 5350; Carr’s actual minority, 334; total votes polled, 10,366. United and Reform are avowedly antiSocialistic, so that in contests where both these candidates stood against Labour —a fatal mistake—the . antiSocialistic vote was hopelessly split. Had there been straight-out fights between anti-Socialistic and Socialistic candidates in Auckland East, Roskill, Gisborne, Wellington North and Timaru, these seats would not have gone to Labour, which would then have had 19 members in the House instead of 24. But Mr. Holland sees fit to claim the result of the general election as “a great Labour victory.” This (to put it mildly) is nothing but a fanatical and blind optimism. Anyhow, the electors have given • their verdict; and, despite the unpopular legislation that the Government has been forced to introduce to save the country from disaster, New Zealand has wisely preferred sane, safe and honest measures to the unsound, extravagant and dangerous proposals of the LabourSocialistic Party.—l am, etc., . - ANTI-BLUFF. December 5, 1931.