GENERAL ELECTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 21 November 1928, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTION.

CHANGE IN MATAURA.

HON. <;. .I. AXPERSON BEATEN

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELL INGTON, T ue sda v.

The state of political parties is further changed by the discovery of a mistake in the counting of votes in the Alataura electorate, where the Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) was at first shown to have retained his seat. The rectification of the mistake gives the seat provisionally to tho United Partv candidate.-

The change in the position of tho two contestants occurred as tho result of the official count, which is now in progress, revealing that a parcel of 99 votes at one of the polling places had been wrongly credited to the sitting member. The readjustment made the condition of the poll as follows:

D. MeDougall (V.) .... 403(5 Hon. G. J. Anderson (R) 15871

Majority for MeDougall 105

There arc 100 absent votes and postal votes still to bo counted, but Mr Anderson would have to receive about two--Bhirds of these in order to retain the seat.

i Air Anderson arrived in Wellington by the Alaheno to-day on his return from an eight months’ health-recruit-ing trip aboad. He appears to be much improved in health as the result of'Ms respite from political activities. “Not a word,” the Minister replied when lie was asked if he had any comment to make on the political situation. Air Anderson left for England in Alarch last in order to consult a Harley Street specialist concerning his health. He visited the Continent and Scotland, and was present with Sir James Parr, High Commissioner for New Zealand, at the signing of the Kellogg Peace Pact in Paris. He returned to New Zealand via South Africa and Australia, spending about a month in tlie Commonwealth. Air Anderson declined yesterday to say anything for publication, either about his trip abroad or concerning the change which has taken place in the political outlook in his a b so nee.

MASTEETON SEAT. FINAL FIGURES. ' The result of the final official count of votes (including absentee votes) in the Alasterton Parliamentary election is advertised to-day. The figures arc:G. R. Sykes (Tv) 4-07 W, Thomson (U) .. .. 99(59 B. Roberts (L) 1477 informal votes 79 Majority for Sykes, 1238.

The total number of valid votes polled was 8(553. With a total roll of about 9700, it will be seen that the percentage of votes cast.was exceptionally large. The number of informal votes was small, and it is believed that some of them were those of electors who were interested only in the licensing poll. WAIBAEAPA SEAT. T. W. McDonald (U) 472(5 A. I>. McLeod (R) 41(30 Majority for McDonald .... 56(3 The total number of valid vot.eg polled was -8886, and the number of informal votes 117. WALEAU FINAL. BLENHEIM, This Day. The Wairau final count was: — Healey (U) ~ 4759 Girling (H) 4467 EGMONT EE-COUNT. ELTIIAM, This Day. The Egmont official re-count resulted Wilkinson (I) .. .. .. -1577 Hawken (R) 3291 Informal, 55. MID-CANTERBURY SEAT. ASHBURTON, This Day. The mid-Canterbury official recount is:— Jones (R) 4137 Connolly (U) 4082 Williams 905 Wightman 242 PALMERSTON ELECTORATE. PA LAI ERST OX N., This Day. The following is the final count for the Palmerston electorate: — J. A. Nash 5558 AY. Bromley 55208 C. A. Loughnan 2484 KAIAPOI FINAL. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Hawke (U) 321(5 Fie she r (R) 5120 Airs McCombs (L) .... 2980 Informal 87 STATE OF PARTIES. "With tho Mat.aura seat allotted to the United Party, the state of parties now is:— Reform ~~ Independent Reform .... 2 United *• 56 Labour 19 Independent 5 Country Party 1 Total 80