FINAL RESULT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17567, 18 June 1925, Page 9

FINAL RESULT.

FRANKLIN BY-ELECTION FIGURES. Per Press Association. PUKEKOHE, June 17. The final result in the Franklin byelection is: M’Lennan (Conservative) ... 596 S Montgomerie (Labour) 2175 MR WILFORD’S VIEW. Ter Press Association. WELLINGTON. June IS. Commenting on the Franklin by-elec-tion, Mr T. M. Wilford said: ‘The Franklin result has proved what every Liberal elector knows. namely, that the followers of Karl Marx cannot disguise themselves with the mantles of Ballance and Seddon. The result shows that constitutional authority, when challenged. received the support of Reformers and Liberals alike. MR M’COMBS’S VIEW. Mr ,T. M’Combs, the senior Labour member of Parliament, expressed ljimseif this morning as well pleased with the Labour candidate’s vote in the Franklin by-election. ‘‘ The Franklin electorate,*’ said Mr M Combs, “ has always been a stronghold of Toryism and only twice in tht. last twenty years has 'the aiVti-Torv vote exceeded 2000 voles. At the last six elections the anti-Torv vote has been 155)1, 1816, 1890, 1802, 2520 and yesterday 2159. The Labour candidate on this occasion has polled 85 pel cent of the total number of votes cast for the Liberal candidate on the previous occasion. Tf in the re-align-ment of political thought consequent on the fusion between the Liberals and the Tories, the Labour Party succeeds in securing 85 per cent of the votes given to the Liberals at the last election, there will be a considerable accession to the Labour Party in the House I after the next election. The Conser 1 vative party which has been in power in New Zealand since 1912 has not one* succeeded in securing a majority vote of the people. Because of a split opposition vote ya nd because of defects in rmr elector#n law the Conservatives have governed in defiance of the definitely expressed will of the people as declared at the bp Hot l>ox. “ With only two parties in the field and with a re-alignment of the radical vote 't will not he very long before New Zealand is rid of a Conservative Government for ever. If 85 per cent of those who voted Liberal at the last -lection vote Labour this year as they did in the Franklin electorate, then Lahour will record the biggest progressive vote since the rlavs of Seddon. When Seddon was absolutely at the height of his power in 1905 and practically the whole Dominion had gone Liberal, the opposition being reduced to fifteen members, the Liberal vole in the Franklin electorate was only 2165. Mr Massey's vote being 3120. I believe that if the Franklin figures arc an indication of the trend of political thought that this venr Labour ! will.score the most remarkable advance ! ever made in the history of New Zea- ! land- At the last election we doubled ! mir representation in the House. The. Franklin figures indicate that we will do oven l etter this year and if we do not capture the Treasury benches this time the Government will be faced with a largely reinforced and very i alert opposition.”