The Bruce Herald MILTON, MONDAY, DEC. 8th, 1913.

Bruce Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 89, 8 December 1913, Page 2

The Bruce Herald MILTON, MONDAY, DEC. Bth, 1913.

At the by-election at Lyttelton tomorrow, there will be an embarrassment of candidates, and it would be a divinely inspired prophet who could predict the result of the people's choice. It certainly appears strange that five candidates should be standing for a position, which will only give the winner twelve months tenure of office, at the end of which period he will again have to seek the suffrages of the electors. It goes to show, however, that the position of M.P., even for a brief period, has a geat deal of fascination for those who are eager to legislate for the good of their country. The candidates standing for the seat are as follows: -Messrs Miller (Government), Laurenson and Radcliffe (.Liberal), M'Coinb (Social Democrat), and Dr. Thaoker (Independent). It will be seen that, while there is a diversity of candidates, there is also a diversity of political beliefs, but that, after all the recent talk about the solidarity ol Labor, none of the candidates is standing solely on the Labor ticket. Apparently, however, Mr M'Cornb ib a quasi-labor candidate, although his speeches, so far as we have seen, are not strongly m that direction, and, in fact, he is reported to havt suijd that the party—seemingly tlu Social Democractic party—wanted Arbitration for the settlement 01 industrial disputes, and a good business man as president of the Arbitration Court. Taken as a whole his address, as reported, contained nothing that id new nor anything more than mild political moonshine on the vital questions of the k duy.. Up to date hi lias, so far as we have noticed, utterei. no commendation of the doings of tin Red Feds, nor any wild or whirling words about the alleged wrongs 01 the strikers;' he may perhaps breat out in this direction on the eve of the election. As we have said; it woulu naturally have been supposed Laboi would have put up an put and out laborite for Lyttieton, in an effort to prove the solidarity which is the daily boast of the United Federation of .Labor, JtisiJlso olear that imu

such a candidate stood he would, in the present exoitement, liave had a dig chance of winning cub sent. Anyway, ic is expected time Mr M'Ooinb will get most of the Labor votes, so he ought to have a fair chance of going to the second ballot, as there seeuis little doubt that a second ballot will be required owing to tne large number of candidates. Mr Miller, the Government candidate, is also expected to secure enough votes to go to a second ballot, as at the last election 53000 votes, out of the 6000 polled, were recorded in favor of the then Government candidate. Another candidate, whose chances are considered good, is Mr Laurenson (brother of the late member), who is standing in the Liberal interest, it would appear then, if there is a second ballot, that the Liberal and Labor forces will join together, and that Mr Russell's prediction will come true, i.e., that tho Government will not win the seat. But political contests are like horse races- you never know the winner till the numbers are up.