The Wanganui Chronicle. SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1946. RAGLAN IN RETROSPECT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 57, 9 March 1946, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1946. RAGLAN IN RETROSPECT

THE conversion of a small majority for Labour into a small 1 majority for the Nationalists, according to the Prime Minister, shows nothing that can be called a swing against the Government. That is one way of viewing the result of the by-election held in the Haglan electorate last Tuesday, when the Labour Party’s candidate, Mr. A. C. Baxter, failed to hold the seat which the late Mr. K. Coulter gained in a four-cornered contest in 1943. Mr. Coulter then polled IUB more votes than did his Nationalist opponent, and if the 289 votes for the Democratic Labour candidate and the 221 for the Real Democracy Movement nominee are added, there was a majority of 618 against the National Party’s choice. Last Tuesday Mr. llallyburton Johnstone, carrying the National banner, secured a majority of 194 over Mr. Baxter on the provisional count. On these simple figures, the Prime Minister’s contention that there is no swing against the Government appears to be insecurely based. Conditions under which a by-election is contested differ from the campaign conducted at a General Election, but last Tuesday’s contest was as strenuous as any other of the four by-elections that have preceded it since 1943. All the major artillery of the Government was brought to bear in an effort to rout the forces of the Opposition. The campaign was opened by the Acting Prime Minister, Mr. Nash, and the last shots were fired on the eve of the battle by the Prime Minister himself, within a few’ hours of his return from the United Nations Organisation meeting in London. Mr. Eraser’s dash across the globe was made only a day behind a timetable which was scheduled to land him in New Zealand in time to bring before the Raglan electors all the personality of a statesman acclaimed by his admirers as second to none— Churchill not excepted. His declaration to Labour supporters that it was made “on the eve of a great Labour victory” proved premature. He may be pardoned if he displays some chagrin at the reverse the Government has suffered. Some 530 absentee and postal votes have still to be counted, and in addition there are the votes of servicemen in camps within the electorate to be taken into consideration. It is not expected that the final result will be known within a week of polling, but on the figures available it is apparent that just over 10,000 electors exercised their franchise. In 1943 the roll strength in the Raglan electorate was 10,906, and of these 10,126 voted. As there were 12,225 on the roll on this occasion, it is evident that some 2000 eligible voters did not bother to visit the polling stations. Whether they were complacent Labour supporters or merely uninterested onlookers beyond the ropes may be a matter for conjecture and heart-burnings on the part of keen members of either major political party. But the fact remains that all the appeals of the Cabinet Ministers and their colleagues failed to awaken the desired response from 2000 lukewarm electors. It must be accepted as an ominous portent—or else the Government is-in the position of disregarding warning signals. That the reverse will be used to rally Labour supporters can be taken for granted. But it can also be taken for granted that this success for the National Party, together with- the increased majorities registered in the Awarua and Hamilton by-eleetions, -will be an encouraging factor for Mr. Holland in the campaign already under way for the General Elections this year.