LYTTELTON ELECTION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1928, 10 December 1913, Page 5

LYTTELTON ELECTION.

YESTERDAY'S POLL, MR MILLER IN SECOND BALLOT HOW THE VOTING WENT. (By Tolctrrapli.-Spccla! Correspondent.) Christclmrch, December 9. Tho polling nt to-day's election was comparatively light, less than 6000 votes being recorded. In 1008 (3471 jjcrsotis voted, and in 11)11 02-11 went to tub poll, It may bo of interest to give tho actual votinii on these occasions, particularly ii) view of tho heavy falling-oil' in the "Liberal" vote. 1908. G. Laurenson (Lib.) 3C82 H. T. J. Thacker (Ind. Lib.) 2789 Majority , 803 1911. G. Laurenson (Lib.) 4100 C. Cook (Lib.) L'OSil Majority , 2079 On tho present occasion, with five- candidates hi the. field, and three of thorn Liberals, it was oxticclcd that t'ho combined votes of the three would exceed those of either of tho other candidates. ■Such, however, did not prove to be the case,' as both tbo and the Reform votes exceeded t'ho grand total of the Liberal votes. In Hie early stages of the count it looked as though Mr. M'Combs was going to liavo a very big majority; but later Mr. Miller took tlwi lead, oiily toloso it again as tbo following figures, showing tho progress reports, indicate: —

M'Combs 415 665 2075 Miller 207 710 15G0 Laurenson 187 343 022 Tliackcr 34 94 273 Radcliffo 37 50 112 The Labour-Socialist, H will bo seen, finishes with a lead of 515 -over the Reform candidate, and there arc in round figures 1300 Liberal votes to scramble for at tbo Second ballot. Roughly speaking, this means that Mr. Miller will require to secure two-thirds of tho Liberal votes to win. Ho has to got 850 to Ids opponents 450. This is recognised to bo a big task, but on the other hand it has to bo lwrno in wind that t'ho 1300 votes arc- mainly mado up of tho votes of citizens who have nothing in common with tho methods or aspirations of tho lied Federation. Some strong party voters may not vote at all, some'of extreme Radical tendencies may voto with Mr. M'Combs, but tho majority nnvy be expected' to exercise a common-sense vote, and now that their own particular candidate is out of the running, endeavour to secure tho return of the man who stands for the Government which at least has ; shown its determination to protect citizens against tho intimidation and violence of the Red Federation. At the moment it is impossible to accurately estimate tbo situation, but, generally speaking, a close finish is looked forward to.

THE FINAL FIGURES. .T. M'Combs (Social Democrat) ... 2075 J. Miller (Government) 1560 J. Laurenson (Liberal) y. 922 Dr. Tha'ckor (Independent Liberal) 273 W. Hadcliffo (Libera!) 112 A Second Ballot will bo necessary between Messrs. M'Combs anil Miller. The number on the roll was ■about GOOO,