NEW MEMBER

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22153, 27 September 1943, Page 4

NEW MEMBER

HAMILTON TO NATIONAL

MR FINDLAY TOPS POLL Mr F. Findlay, National Party candidate for Hamilton, won the seat from Labour at Saturday’s polls when he defeated the sitting member, Mr C. A. Barrell, who has held the seat for Labour for the past eight years. Mr Findlay’s majority was 241. Returns from the various Hamilton booths gave Mr Findlay a majority of 378 but when the returns from the forces came available at about 10.30 this majority was reduced to 241. Of the forces votes 693 went to Mr Barrell, 556 to Mr Findlay. The voting was as follows: A. E. Allen (D.L.) 805 C. A. Barrell (L.) 6619 F. Findlay (N.) 6860 W. H. Thompson (I.) .. 187 When it became known just after 8.2 C p.m. that Mr Findlay was leading Mr Earrell on the Hamilton polling by 378, speculation was rife

whether the votes from the forces would alter the situation. However, although Mr Barrell obtained 137 more of these votes than Mr Findlay it was, of course, not enough to alter the position. The Democrat Labour candidate obtained 123 of the forces’ votes and the Independent candidate 9

Voting was very even at the polling booths and it was not until the final booth returns were received at the Hamilton Court House that the issue became clear. Interest became intense when it was realised early in the evening that there was every change of Mr Barrell being unseated.

The final result of the Hamilton polling was available at 8.20 p.m., which was a tribute to the efficiency of the Hamilton Returning Officer, Mr H. B. Reid, and his staff. The first result at 7.15 p.m. came froih the Ruakura booth where 25 votes were cast for Mr Findlay and 23 for Mr Barrell. As a pointer to the night’s final results, this was to prove surprisingly correct. The figures from several large booths were available at 7.30, the Hamilton Technical School booth giving Mr Findlay a majority with this being offset in favour of Mr Barrell with the returns from two Frankton booths. The main Frankton booth at the Frankton Town Hall made the position better for Mr Barrell, but distinct majorities for Mr Findlay were recorded at the Claudelands booths. Mr Barrell did better than his opponent at Hamilton East polling booths, but with the exception of the booth in the E.P.S. Hall, Seddon Park, all Hamilton town booths definitely favoured Mr Findlay. With the returns of 20 booths to hand, Mr Findlay was leading Mr Barrell by 5241 votes for 5099. The remaining four booths totals increased Mr Findlay’s majority. The polling was as follows:

Details of returns giving 10 votes for Mr Thompson are not yet to hand. The official total is 187.

The total number of votes cast in Hamilton was 13.190 compared with 12,696 in 1938. The Forces vote totalled 1381 and the number of informal votes in Hamilton was 100. The grand total was 14,571. The number of electors eligible to vote in Hamilton was 17,882.

Mr Barren's majority in 1938 was 1860. The voting for Mr Barrell was 7722 for the National candidate, Mr A. W. Grant, 5862. At the 1935 election when there was a triangular contest in Hamilton Mr Barrell secured 5144 votes in an aggregate polling (including informals) of 11,338, his majority over the then sitting member, Sir Alexander Young, being 1369.

e a O. £ s g 1 i I a c3 c 2 <2 < n E h 5 Claud elands: Church Hall 44 409 509 13 7 Masonic Hall 34 308 617 10 6 Fairfield: Grey Street . 38 290 233 3 2 School .. 2 54 121 — 2 Frankton: Methodist Hall 22 223 128 17 10 Town Hall .. 124 1195 621 18 24 Institute 21 121 33 1 — Hamilton: Courthouse .. 53 484 558 15 — Seddon Park 17 198 187 8 3 West School 13 104 229 3 2 Hospital .. 10 111 238 1 1 Tech. School 46 269 437 7.7 Hamilton East: Nixon St. .. 14 191 169 5 6 Albert St. .. 33 217 208 4 1 Cook St. .. 79 756 584 22 11 Hillcrest .. 6 23 156 5 — Maeroa .. 31 276 173 4 4 Melville .. 6 70 100 5 2 Nawton .. 6 106 75 1 3 Newstead .. 2 23 68 — — Rototuna .. 4 4 47 2 — Ruakura .. 3 23 25 2 1 Te Rapa .. 13 107 165 6 •— Whitiora .. 61 364 623 16 8 Forces Votes 123 693 556 9 — Totals .. 805 6619 6860 187 100