MAJORITY REDUCED TO NINE

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22153, 27 September 1943, Page 6

MAJORITY REDUCED TO NINE

At Least One Minister Defeated LEE PARTY COMPLETELY REJECTED HEAVY SWING TOWARD NATIONAL With the result of Saturday’s general election still in doubt in six constituencies, the general effect is a heavy swing in public favour 'toward the National Party. Saturday’s returns show the general position of the parties as follows, the relative strengths at the dissolution being given in parentheses: LABOUR 44 (49) NATIONAL .. 35 (23) INDEPENDENTS .. 1 (4) The National Party has gained ten seats, nine from Labour and one (Egmont) from an Independent. The Labour Party has three gains, one (Eastern Maori) from National, one (Grey Lynn) from Democratic Labour, and one (Napier) from an Independent. At least one Minister, the Hon. J. G. Barclay, and on the provisional return another, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, has been defeated. The position in the six electorates still uncertain is that in two of them (Oamaru and New Plymouth) the National Party candidate is ahead, and in four (Eden, Wairarapa, Raglan and Otaki) Labour is 50 or 60 votes in front. The notable feature of the election is the people’s complete rejection of the Democratic Labour Party, including its leader, Mr J. A. Lee, who has lost his seat to Labour, and this by the largest majority of the election. Only one Independent, Mr H. Atmore (Nelson) was returned and of the three women members in the last Parliament seeking re-election Miss Howard (Christchurch South) was returned, but Mrs Stewart (Wellington West) and Mrs Dreaver (Waitemata) were defeated. A record number of candidates, 127, lost their deposits.