THE HQH. F. M. B. FISHER.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2330, 11 December 1914, Page 6

THE HQH. F. M. B. FISHER.

DEFEAT TAKEN CHEERFULLY. '' Afft w s ?n he . io the t! ?8 hoarding with his wife, was greeted with roaring cheers, whioh stilled to silence as he began to snealSmiling -cheerfully, he said .-"iX, rlcfmt Dj to say. that / accept my defeat with perfect XT"?' I hope by the . the numbers go up that Mr. Massev if n Mr US A? yWlU , bo u- in - And I 2 f r y r i' 3 part * go In and I go out, then I am happy." (Cheery.) A voice: All right, Don I Mr..Fisher: "But I cannot allow the occasion to pass without placing on record, first of all, my congratulations to my opponent on won. Ho fought' me last time and lw*; he fought ma this time and won. I offorhim my congratulations upon it. (Hear, hear.) As to my supporters, I fina language quite inadequate to express my deep feeling of appreciation for all those who have worked so hard for me. Let mo add : this : that if ever the publio of New Zealand, in any constituency, want my " services, they are always available.',' (Uneers.) I have no regrets, no repin- . rngs; I have done' my best" and the pub. .o have issued their verdict and l accept it with a; smiling and happy faoe. I ask you to give three cheers for my opponent." The oheera were given, and w<!re followed by a tremendous burst of cheering for Mr. Fisher himself. Now, ladies and gentlemen,V contmued Mr. F i shor ) 'Wy 1 just add this: that it is because I feel so deeply about our national politics that I hope my leader and chief will go hack to power. (Hear hear.) There can be no nght, as we know from the lesson of the war. in which officers do not fall and it has fallen to'my lot to become one of those who have suffered defeat on this occasion, hut, as I said before, it the_party goes in, even if I go out. ' then I am the happiest man in Wellington! (Cheers.) So that," Mr. Fisher continued quaintly, "you won't again hear my voice for a time."(Cheers.) . , , ' A voiec: You will go back! Mr. Fisher: "I thank you once again, ana when you look back, a few months hence, .you will be' able to say, 'Thy bright smile haunts me still.' (Laughter, cheers, and applause.) I can'only Bay that if" there is going to be any change in our parties at alb Ir hope that the change will be for' the benefit of tha country, and that the public will prove to have judged wisely and well. (Hear, hear.) Thank you all very much for your past support, and I hope that in the future I will get it again. (Cheers.) Now I am going to take this'opportunity, on my own account, to pass a hearty vote of thanks to my wife and all who have helped me during the election." Cheers wore given, for Mrs. Fisher, and at Mr. Fisher's call further; cheers were given for Mr. Mas'soy. The only hostile interruptions heard as Mr. Fisher spoke came from a seaman who made a.serio3 of incoherent; remarks and gave i solo performance oJ. .. "counting out." ' By way of parting greeting, the crowd , " sang. "For He's a Jolly Good Fel-. 'low? 1 ' "" > ;. MH. 11. FLETCHER. Mr. R. Fletcher, the elected member for Wellington Central, faced a friendly crowd in Willis Street, when he spoke from the "Evening Post" balcony. He thanked the electors for having placed him in a proud position at the top of the poll. He had. been up against it in a big light,and he had beaten a Minister of the ■ Crown off his own bat. He wished to say that what had been done in Wellington Central was being done right, from the North Cape to the Bluff.. He declared that the result was a triumph for democracy. (Applause.) Again the flag of Liberalism would be raised in New Zealand. - For himself, lie hoped that he would be true to the trust reposed in him, and he thanked his ' committee and'his supporters generally, for their efforts on his behalf. . WEI.LINCTON EAST. MR. D. M'LAREN. . Mr. D. ■ M'Laren, speaking from th« '■'Evening Post" balcony, offered his thanks to his committee .and his sup-. Dorters. Although the margin between his opponent and himself was small, . be said, he thought the fact that a>. Labour.man had polled close on 4000. votes was evidence 1 of the great confidence felt by the people in the Labour • Partv. He wished to thank the mem-. bers of his committee for the strenuous way'in which they had worked for him. . They had worked for a cause—the cause of Labour and humanity.- He was proud of tho fact that- his colloaguo ("Mr. Hindmarsh) had been returned by such a great majority for Wellington skrath, 'and he was glad to «e<s that there were prospects of the Liberal Party being returned .to .power. .He,,, concluded by thanking his supporter# (or the confidence reposed in him.

A/; DR. A. K. NEWMAN. Dr. A. K. Nowman, who was re-q oeived with cheers and applause, said that ' in Wellington East .'they had had . a nice, • clean fight. He had, nothing against his adversaries, and hoped had nothing against him. A voice: You are a sport I , Dr. Newman went on to say that at • present he felt like Mahomet's cofim— stuck up in the air "midway between, and he did not know where -he was. (Laughter.) There were, ho believed, 250 votes .more of various kinds, Expeditionary and absentee, to be counted ■ "I am 34 behind," he added, "and if you will kindly pray for me for about 48 hours— (Laughter)—well, ladies and gentlemen, I need something to help me to pull down that 84." A voice: You will got it all right 1 Dr. Newman: It is 'a matter for ' doubt, but I have fair/reason for hoping that I will by a little.' After all, if you win by two votes you are .in just as much as if you win by two thousand. My only difficulty is to get the two votes I . (Laughter.) Having heartily thanked those who had helped him so loyally during tho election contest, Dr. Newman went on to remark that the position seemed'to be for the-' Government a very precarious one, but, they must hope for tho best. Not bcinc a member, and not out of tho gamo, he had nothing more to say ex- • oopt that he thanked thorn for assembling, antl good-night! (Applause.)