THE GREY ELECTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1810, 25 July 1913, Page 4

THE GREY ELECTION.

The Labour-Socialist party has won a victory in the Grey electorate which may be expected to add considerable impetus to the rate at which the process of disintegration is at present proceeding in the camp of our "Liberal" friends. The Socialists will be greatly heartened by their early initial success, and the gentlemen who have beer, precariously balancing between loyalty to the old discredited "Liberalism" and the attractions of the new and aggressive force of militant LabourSocialism will no doubt now find it less difficult than before to decide as to which side of the fence it is desirable to descend. The political history of the Grey electorate serves to emphasise the tremendous falling away in the strength of the "Liberal" party disclosed by the election just ended. Taking the figures for successive elections over a long period of years, it will be seen that until the present occasion no one directly opposed to the "Liberal" party has ventured to contest the seat for something like twenty years at least. Then a Labour-Socialist candidate, in the person of the winner at yesterday's poll, came forward and was soundly beaten. To-day he is elected, with a Reform candidate in second place, and the "Liberal" nominee at the bottom of the poll and thrown out of the contest at the first ballot. The polling figures of the elections held since 1890 really speak for themselves: — 1890. Guinness, A. B. (L.) 1109 Jones, W. 11. (L.) 1090 Majority 19 1893. Guinness, A. R. (L.) 2434 Nanearrow, R. (I.) 711 Bell, H, F. (L.) 305 Majority 1723 1890. Guinness, A. E. (L.) 2053 Bell, It. F. (I.) 78S Majority 1865 1899. Guinness, A. E. (L.) 2000 Hanuan, M. (L.) 1871 Majority 780 1902. Guinness, A. E. (L.) 2764 Isitt, F. W. (Prohibition) ... 619 Majority 2145 1905. Guinness, A. E. (L.) 2974 Petrie, J. (L.) 2613 Majority 331 1908. Guinness, A. E. (L.) ; 3407 Iverr, J. (L.) 2292 Majority 1115 1911. Guinness, A. E. (L.) 3G77 AVebb, P. C. (Lab.-Soc.) 2539 Majority 1138 1913. First Ballot. Michel (Eeform) 2159 Webb (Lab.-Soc.) 2091 Hannan (L.) 2039 Second Ballot. Webb 3433 Michel 2763

The above figures are most illuminating. The Reform candidate who came from an adjoining electorate at the last minute to contest an unexpected vacancy in ail clcctoratc never before contested by his party; handicapped by lack of organisation and by local prejudices, yet succeeds in heading the poll at the first ballot in a stronghold of Liberalism and Labour-Socialism. It is most significant that thp candidate at the bottom of the poll in such circumstances should be the nominee of the "Liberal" party. As to the final result wo have not the slightest hesitation in saying that quite apart from party interests the defeat of Mr. Michel is the loss of Parliament and the loss of the country. Mr. Michel was eminently qualified to render sound and able service in Parliament. The splendid fight which he has conducted under such heavy difficulty is a tribute to his capacity and courage, and he is to be heartily congratulated on polling so well. It must not be forgotten that at the outset of the contest it was considered _ hopeless for any Government candidate to invade this stronghold of "Liberalism" and "Socialism," and in the time at his disposal ho has done wonders. It is plain now that he would have polled even better, and in all probability he would have w.on the seat, but for the introduction of the sectarian element by which his opponents turned the Catholic vote against him. The voting at the St. Columbia Club (a Catholic club)_ booth is considered to support this view. The figures were : Webb, 488; Michel, 49. At the first ballot Webb scored only 26 at this booth and Michel 23. One effect of the election will probably be, as already stated, to drive many of those who have been balancing between "Liberalism" and the La-bour-Socialists into the latter camp. On the other 'hand, many moderate Liberals such as those who voted with Ml!. Michel at the second ballot will be so disgusted with the tactics of their party in allying themselves with the extreme lied Federation, Socialist-Syndicalists, that they will gradually find their way into the ranks of the Reform party. In every direction the signs point to a further falliug-off of the "Liberal" party in popular favour; and a further acceleration of the rate of internal disruption.