CHURCHILL BEATEN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 182, 27 April 1908, Page 7

CHURCHILL BEATEN.

SET-BACK FOR MINISTRY. A DEADLY BLOW. AT FREE TRADE. LABOUR TOTAL SMALL. UNIONISTS GAIN OVER A THOUSAND VOTES. TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT (Rec. April 26, 4.15 p.m.) London, April 25. | The by-election at North West Manches- [ ter, whore the President of the Board of Trade, • Mr. Winston Churchill, was before his constituents on his elevation to tho Cabinet resulted as under:— (The figures for the 190G election, given in tlio first column, provide an interesting comparison, tho value of which is not greatly discounted by tho presence of a third candidate in the 1908 election, as tho 276 Labour votes were not a determining factor.) 1003. 1908. Mr. Joynson-Hicks (Unl.) ... 4398 5417 Mr. W. Churchill (Lib.) ... 5639 4088 Mr. D. Irving (Lab.) ... ... — are Unl, majority over Lib.-/ ... 429 Increase In Unl. votes ... 1019 Decrease In Lib. votes ... ssr Number of electors ... ... i 11,914 •Number of votes oast ... ... .10,081 Percentage of voters ... ... 89 Tho total.of electors, 11,914, included.'so 3 new electors. : Tho chief surprise is the smallness of the Socialist vote. Tho Unionist Free Traders, with the exception. of a. small handful, voted solid for Churchill. • . •'/. ' Remarkable scenes occurred in Manchester, London, Liverpool, and other cities, 1 in connection with Mr. Churchill's defeat. The ' oxcitemeiit equalled that of the last general election. Mr. : Churchill admitted that the result is a heavy, hitter, and crushing blow for (Free Trade, and that it carries disastrous consequences to Lancashire interests. .He said lie left Manchester withouta spark of.hatred! There \Was great cheering, over the result in London music, halls aiid theatres. • It is a notable fadt that tho Prime Ministor (Mr. Asquith) sent Mr. Churchill no letter of encouragement during the election. This is interpreted to mean that-'he did hot wish -to. be. identified withjsome of Mr. Churchill's"pledges. , r >: . •. . , The fact that 89 per cent. W the electorate went:',to tho ballot-box constitutes a record. "Tho Times" says that tho >victory is signal and significant. Even Homo Rulo was subordinated to tariff reform. Tho "Manchester Guardian" (Liberal) says that' the business centre. :of Manchester has struck a damaging blow at Free Trade, which must havo wide-reaching effects. Mr.., Joyiison-Hicks admits, that many .people supported him who disagreed with his fiscal views.. . ■ •' ; Tho Liberals of Dundee have invited Mr; Churchill to stand; for that seat, now. represented.by Mr. E. Robortson (Liberal, 9276 votes), and Mr. Alex. Wilkie (Labour, 6833 votes). . )

THE LOSS OF LIBERAL VOTES. • TARIFFITE TRIUMPH IN A GREAT , TRADE CENTRE. The two new ; Cabinet Ministers, have now both gqiii)-to'.tho country, with the result''that,' at Dewsbiiry, Mr. Ruhoiihaii finds his majority reduced by , 2289 votes,' and lie ,no .longer represents an absolute majority .of his constituent; while Mr. Churchill at North-West Manchester finds a Liberal majority of 1241 transformed into a Unionist iiiajbrity of ,429. , Tho Labour vote (27G) has failed to. bo a determining factor. . RECORD OP UNIONIST SUCCESSES.. Tlie following recbrd of ..iy-eleotions since, the general election shows how!' steadily the ,tide has been flowing in favour, of the Unionist party and agaiiist the Liberal Government (the increases and decreases shoWri ''.'arc . ill the majorities at by-elections,, as, compared with thoso at the'. General flection)!— ' ' .' 19 °8Fobruai'y 27.—City of .London, Unionist in- ' crease, 1034. G). ,! . March 12.—Basingstoke, Unionist increase, 139. March .30.—Leicester, Liberal decrease, 3681. May IS.—Dulwioh, Unionist increase, 922;' . July 24.—Bodmin, Liberal "deerease, 79. .' August 3.—Cockdhnouth. Seat gained. November 28.—Huddcrsfield, Liberal decrease, 993. : • . ', .1907.' .\. January 3i.--North-East Derbyshire,. Liberal decrease, 10.40. . . 1 ... February Liberal decrease, .191. Fobruary 20i—South . Aberdeen, Liberal; decrease, 4077. . February 27.—Brigg. ' (Seat gained.) March 29.—Hexham, Liberal decrease, 928., • May 11.—Stepney,.^'Unionist increase, 312. . May 16.—Wiinbledoh, .Unionist increase, 4852. ; June'l3.—Rutland, Uniouist increase, 348." j,ijy G.—Jarrow, Labour • returned for Liberal; July 20.--Colne Valley, Socialist returned for Liberal. . • 1 ' August 2.— N.W. Staffordshire, Lab. and Lib. 1 increase, .239. . - August, 26.—Bury St. Edmunds, Unionist increase.. 456. !. 4 August 28.—Kirkdale, Unionist increase, 78. . November 30.—West Htlll, Liberal decrease, 2000, - j , ' 1908. .. January 17.—Mid-Devon. (Siat gained.) . " February 2.—Ross (Hertfordshire). (Seat gained.) . ■ February'G.—St. Austell (Cornwall).' Liberal returned unopposed. Fobruary 9.—WorcCsterj Unionist increase, 4SO; February 11.—South Leeds,. Liberal decrease, S2B. '; March l.—Bowdley division 6f Worcestershire, Unionist clectcd unopposed. Miircli Uniouist increase, 177. March 22.—'West Downs, Unionist increase, 349. March 25.-rPeckhjim, Liberal majority of-2339 converted into Unionist and tariff reform majority of 494. ■ > April 24.—Dewsbury; increase in Unionist voter, 1119; decrease in Liberal votes, 1170. Aprfl 25.—North-west Manchester, increase in • 'Unionist votes, 1019; decrease in Liberal votes, 651; Libei'al Minister loses seat; , - TARIFF REFORM IN CITIES. The tariff reformers will iio. doubt claim that their invasion of the cities has reached its climax at; Manchester, and . that this victory in tho heart ,of the great manufacturing county ,is a final_ word. Tariflite successes in rural constituencies like Mid-Devon had not the ring about them which characterises recent triumphs in Worcester/ London (Peckham), and, finally, Manchester. It was a Manchester constituency (Manchester East) that" rejected tho Unionist leader, Mr. Balfour, at the General Election, by noarly 2000 votes, forcing him .to seek Tofugo in tho London City seat, vacated for him by this Hon. Albrm Gibbs. Now' Unionists will claim that their' rovenge i$ complete in the rejection of their one-timo comrade, 'Mr. Winston Churchill. The victory, according ■to "The Times," is won clearly on titriff reform. Mr. Joynson-Hicks fras tho candidate whom Mr. Churchill defeated in single combat in 1906, by 1241 votes. He is, as already stated, a stroßg anti-Socialist.