MICHEL'S GREAT FIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1810, 25 July 1913, Page 5

MICHEL'S GREAT FIGHT.

IN SOCIALIST STRONGHOLD. SYNDICALIST NOMINEE WINS. (By Telegraph—Preflß Afflociation.) Greymouth, July 24. Polling went on slowly and quietly in tho morning, but the excitement ran very high. The day was heairtilully line. 'J'Jie Social Democrats were wearing red and blue colours, blue being the colour displayed by itannanites 011 Thursday last. i'Vi'iing, ])e;>oiwl us well as jjonuwd, iiaU been worked up to a high pitch—even to a greater extent than on Thursday last. 1 he results are as under:— Webb 343 a Michel 2763 FIRST BALLOT. Polling-places. Hannau. Michel. Webb. Greymoutk Courthouse 232 180 G2 Greymouth Town Hall 371 -181 322 Greymouth High (school 145 325 40 Greymouth St. Columba itooms ... 242 23 2G Greymouth County Chambers 42 29 37 Greyinouth, Grey Kiver Hosp. ... GO 123 14 Atarau 14 21 1 Barrytown 33 5 21 Big liiver 28 5 20 Blackball 70 55 317 Blaekwater 27 12 33 Blaketowu 32 ' 72 41 Canoe Creek 13 2 5 Cobden 119 IG7 135 JJuuollio 27 27 124 Globe Hill 13 15 41 Hiuau 17 5 7 Hukawai 7 2 11 lkamatua 52 35 14 Mawheraiti 7 7 1 Merrijigs 4 12 3 Moonlight 11 i 2 Kapahoe 12 3 10 iieefton, Lower Broadway 73 95 51 Keefton, Kailway Station 14 30 3 lieel'ton County Chambers 11G 190 109 lieei'ion Public School G9 75 42 Eeivanui 1 1 1G ltoa, Paparoa 9 15 39 i{ una 113 a 21 4G 400 State Mine Exten., Coal Creek 5 2 8 State Miua Exten., .No. 2 Colliery ... 7 0 23 l'avlorvillo 37 80 53 Waitahu 19 11 i Absent voters and Seamen 55 28 12 Totals 2,039 2,189 2,091 Informal, 21. SECOND BALLOT. lnl'or-Polling-places. Michel Webb, lual, Greymouth, Courthouse 240 132 » Greymouth. Town Hall 623 417 C Greymouth High

School 381 99 7 Greyiiioulh St. Co.lumba Rooms 49 488 2 Ureymouth County Chambers 47 70 1 Ureymouth, Utey River llospital 155 48 3 Atarau 31 2 0 Barrytown 8 39 1 Big Kiver 13 38 0 Blackball 75 . 400 3 Blaclnvater 14 59 0 Blaketown 92 45 1 Canoe Creek 7 15 0 Cobden 205 204 1 Duuollie 51 127 0 Globo Hill 19 « » Ilinau 8 19 0 Hukawai 1 15 0 Ikamatua 55 0 Mawheraiti 7 '4 0 Merrijigs 18 6: , '.l 1 Moonlight — — Rupahoe 0 W ;0 Keefton, Lower Broadway 113 110 3 Keefton Railway Station » 32 0 Kcet'ton County Chambers 210 -30 0 Keefton Public School 76 63 0 Rcwanui 0 21 0 Roa, l'aparoa 15 4( - Kunangu 41 425 0 State Mine Exten., Coal Creek 4 lo 0 State Mine Exten., No. 2 Colliery 1 31 0 Taylorvillo 09 ' 81 0 ■\Yaitahu U " Absent Voters and Seamen — — Totals 2,703 3,433 33 Tlie number on the roll at the last general election was 7623, and the rotes recorded totalled 6287. At this elechon (tirst-ballot) there were 7706 names on the roll, and 6340 votes were recorded. With the exception of Moonlight (where 17 votes only were recorded at Ihe first ballot), the total number of votes polled at yesterday's election was 622!).

RESULT NOT A SURPRISE. SECTARIAN FEELING. (By Telegraph.-Special Correspondent.) Greymouth, July 24. The final results. oi' the second ballot did not conie as a surprise to supporters of the Reform candidate. History repeated itself. Disappointed partisans ot the defeated candidate discarded political opinions, and in pioue voted the other way. The defeated Liberal threw tho whole of bis strong personal following into the "Red Fed." camp, although strong protests wore made by lus former supporters. A definite pronouncement m Saturday's evening paper was the first definite indication publicly of the defeated Liberal's feelings, and since then Mr. Ilanmin has used all his influence m the interests of Mr. Webb. The results are interesting. On tho hrst ballot, Mr. llannan polled in Greymouth 1121 votes, Mr. Michel 1232, and Mr. Webb 512 To-day Mr. Michel polled 1498, and Mr. Webb 1254. The last polling day was wet, and to-day was delightfully fine, the lessoned poll is accounted for by many personal supporters not recording their votes. When the figures were notified at the Catholic Club booth, which recorded 49 for Michel, and 488 for Webb, it gave Government supporters an indication ot what to expect owing to the sectarian leeling, which was not heard ol ill the first ballot, but which was imported after the first. Greymouth and lfcofton towns gave Reform a substantial lead, but the State collieries undid it by abouit 400, wlulo at Blackball the "Red Feds, added another 3"5' and per contra the peaceful coal centre'of Taylorville and Brunner mine gave Reform a. majority. r , Much bitterness is felt that _ the final battle was not fought on political lines, instead of a narrow, personal, sectarian issue. With both local papers at Greymouth and Reefton against Mr. Michel, and in. view of the fact that ho stood without a single telegram or direct support from the Government, as is customary in West Coast: elections, the result is extremely satisfactory, showing an advancement of Reform here. NEWS INPARLIAMENT. VICTORY AND DEFEAT. The news from Grey naturally caused much interest in the Houso of Representatives. . , The result, of course, was received wilh jubilation by the Opposition and Labour members. It was tho subject of general comment in Bellamy's and ITio lobbies during tho supper adjournment and tho remainder of the evening. Monitors of the Opposition were entertained by Mrs. R. J. Seildon at her residence during tho supper adjournment in celebration of ilte victory of the Social-Democratic candidate. Mr. Webb polled approximately <0 per cent, of the votes cast for Mr. Baiinan, Mr. Michel securing 30 per cent, of these votes. PRIME MINISTER INTERVIEWED. "VICTORY DEFERRED." On being asked last evening whether i he had any comment to ofier repardinEr

tlio result of tlio Grey electiofl, IhoPrimt Minister (tho Hon. W. F. Massey) said:—' "It goes without saying, of course, that L should liivo liked to see Mr. Michel returned, but one consolation is that if a Government candidate can poll nearly .'3OOO votes in an electorate where wo havo not had a candidate for twenty years, I think wo can secure two-third of the electorates when the proper time comes for testing the question." Tlio following telegram was sent by tho Prime Minister to Mr. Michcll after tlio result of tlio poll was received:—"ll; is not in mortals to command success, but you havo dono more—you liavo deserved it. You havo put up ft great fight against overwhelming odds, and tho country will never forget it." Tlio following message was received by Mr. Massey from tlio AVcstland Reform league:—"Wo have fought a good fight', but victory lias been deferred. Tlio unnatural allianco which brought defeat will open the eyes of the people of this Dominion." Two opinions which were expressed last evening by Independent members of tlio House are worth quoting. Uue of these members, who usually votes with tlio Government, said in reference to tho alliance between tlio Opposition and tho Federation of Labour: —"It is the best thing that could have happened. It puts us on side." Tho other member, who generally votes with tho Opposition, on being asked what he thought of tho result of tho election remarked, "From a Liberal point of view, it is a national disaster."