THE BRUCE SEAT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14098, 15 April 1920, Page 5

THE BRUCE SEAT.

RESULT OF THE BY-ELECTION". MR J. EDIE ELECTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Wednesday. /. The by-election to fill the vacancy in the Brue electorate caused by the retirement of sir James Allen was Held yesterday. The final result vVas as .under: — * Edie, John (L) 2331 . - Begg, James (R) - 201 ; Majority for Edie .. - 130 Seventy-tlmje absent voters’ permits were issued. ■ The voting at the general election in December was as under: Allen, Sir James (R) .. -596 - Edie, John (L) 2778 STATEMENT BY MR MASSEY. With reference to the result of the Bruce by-election,' the Prime Minister said: — ... Naturally I accept the decision of the electors of Bruce in the same spirit as if the- election had restilted in the return of the Government, candidate. Remembering at the general election Sir James Allen secured only a small majority, it is not surprising Mr Edie should have defeated Mr Begg, a new candidate, who, under the circumstances, put up a splendid tight, and who will, in the future, I am confident, find his wav into the councils of the nations. % ; It is to be regretted that at by-elec-tions the full voting strength in any constituency is seldom exercised owing ‘to the absence of party and other interests existent at a general election. The question now is, as it was at the General election in December last, whether a sound and stable Government, shall guide and control the destinies of the Dominion during the difficult period of reconstruction upon which we have entered, and which, for several years, will have to be dealt with, and, 3. hope, successfully, by those in authority.