The Star. TUESDAY, MAY 1, 1923. THE LIBERAL WIN AT OAMARU.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17030, 2 May 1923, Page 6

The Star. TUESDAY, MAY 1, 1923. THE LIBERAL WIN AT OAMARU.

The success of Mr J. A. Macpherson, the Liberal candidate for Oamaru, was an eminently satisfactory outcome of a spirited contest. The Liberal Party throughout the Dominion is entitled to indulge in some mild rejoicing, because the narrow majority for Mr Macpherson in December has been expanded into a substantial margin at the second trial of strength. The circumstances under which the contest was held are worthy of some comment. In December last the electors tried to elect Mr Macpherson, but the Election Court, on a petition by Mr Lee, found that various technical defects in the voting required it to invalidate the election. This gave Mr Lee a second change, and he made the utmost use of it. The Prime Minister, fresh from his success at Tauranga, rushed to the help of his ex-colleague, who at once became a mere satellite to the Leader of the Government. Mr Massey stumped the electorate in the interests of his candidate, and left no stone unturned that might conceal a vote. Mr Macpherson, on the other hand, elected to play a lone hand. He had beaten Mr Lee in December, and Ini believed he could do it again in May. The event has justified his confidence. His victory has been emphasised and placed beyond cavil. The result has been accepted by Mr Lee as final.

The political significance of the Liberal win can hardly be accurately estimated. It is similar to the Tauranga election, in that it does not change the position of the parties in the House. The success of the Reformers in Tauranga was hailed by supporters of the Government as a plain indication that the whole country was convinced of the merits of Reform, and recognised that the only hope of a stable Government rested with Mr Massey and his followers. Yet Mr Macmillan was returned by a smaller majority than had been obtained by Sir William Ilerries in December. The emphasis and confirmation of the December verdict by the Oamaru electors indicates that there is no general acceptance of the idea that all the capacity for the good government of the country is the exclusive possession of the Reformers. The Oamaru people, like many others, would get rid of the Massey Government if they could. Mr Massey himself cannot derive any satisfaction from the result of his election stumping. He left the aft'airs of the country to look after themselves during the period of the campaign, and the wireless result communicated to him on the ferry boait last night would not increase the comfort of his voyage. We do not take the view that the Prime Minister should have stayed out of the contest altogether, because be is vitally concerned in putting his case before the electors. But we do not think that a Prime Minister is justified in spending a fortnight in a constituency on an election stunt. It would be interesting to learn, and we hope; some enterprising member will inquire, how much it cost the country for the Government !o lose the Oamaru seat.

Naturally enough the defeat of Mr Lee is a bitter pill for the Reform apologists. One Conservative journal indulges in a prolonged whine, destitute alike of good taste and sportmanship. Mr Lee himself took his second defeat manfully, and his example might have been followed with propriety by his journalistic supporters. The Oamaru electors, however, had decided against the Massey Government, and they had to be scolded like naughty children. According to a local contemporary, the Tauranga election, where Reform won, was fought on political issues, while Oamaru, where Reform lost, was fought on sympathy. It would be difficult to arrive at a more one-eyed conclusion, Tauranga was a Reform seat, and Mr Macmillan went into the contest with the great sympathetic advantage of a recommendation by the previous holder of the seat. Oamaru, in December, had already decided what it favoured on the political issue, and the vote yesterday confirmed that decision. Mr Macpherson would undoubtedly receive some sympathy votes, but it was the political i.4sue which decided the day. Mr Lee got his full December vote and a little over, while Mr Macpherson made a decided advance. The old wheeze about the Liberal-Red alliance is revived, blit it is only amusing- when it is recalled how anxious the Reformers were to induce the ‘‘ Reds " to produce a candidate. The Reformer still believes in his heart that a split vote is mightier than a righteous cause.