BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1924, Page 2

BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Australian and n.z. cable association Till - . OPENING SCENES. A HEAVY TOLL. LONDON, October '2!). ’flic polling at the elections opened in line weather all over the country. The Conselrvatives pointed out that the Labourites were sure to poll every vote. They urged their own supporters, therefore to recognise that every vote was precious. They were using as their slogan: “The lied Flag must he half masted.” The Liberals were urging tlmir supporters to vote. ‘Liberal for Safety’. There were brisk opening scenes, including those of hundreds of women standing in queues outside the polling booths, thus indicating a heavy poll. A charabanc crowded with Conservative children was touring Poitou. It collapsed. One was killed and ten injured.

LONDON, October 30. In the afternoon, the weather changed. The re was a relentless downpour 1 of min. From Jive o’clock in the evening onwards nevertheless, the I/»ndoners turned out in large numbers in Fleet Street and Trafalgar Square to hear the results. There were similar scenes throughout the country. A feature of the elections thus far is the big increase in votes at all the polls. Wherever there was a straight light instead of a three-cornered contest, the Liberal-Conservative pact worked perfectly, the Liberals siipryrtiiig the Conservatives and the later voting Liberal and thus accounting for the majbritv of the Conservative gains. There was a considerable accretion of the Conservative vote, especially in Lancashire, owing to the dear food cry being no

longer operative. The results generally caused no surprise. Despite bad weather, crowds thronged the West End to a late hour. A sudden fog obscured the illuminated results last year, hut this year crowds everywhere watched them under dripping umbrellas. Thousands stood patiently for hours ill Trafalgar Square. Piccadilly Circus Leicester Square. The Strand, Oxford Street, and other centres.

Hawkers paraded carnival wares. Gut there was little demand. the crowds preferring mostly to patronise the vendors of hot chestnuts. Never were such elaborate arrangements made fur tbe announcement of the results, the newspapers, hotels, great stores I,„d ships all competing with costly electric scrolls. gigantic hiiltcrn screens, and super-megaphones in every available onon space. Similar enterprise was shown in tbe provinces, and the carving fortunes of prominent ln eu were watched with extreme inidlest. , I.,union results arrived late. am nearlv at midnight the Conservative anticipations of gains in Hackney won* ivnliscd.

ELECTION FIGHTS. The Casimltv Department il th( West London Hospital, and the Hammersinitli depot are busy as tbe result of tbe election lights. Patient! poured in all the afternoon, miffcrin;-I',-oin black eyes, broken noses and arms ami sprained wrists. Some of tbe case! were women, but none was serious.

The polling began in many constituencies at an unusually early hour. The returning nlliccrs. having used their discretion, fixed the polling from seven in the morning to nine at night, instead of the normal eight to eight. Mi- Winston Churchill icvived a practice of bygone, days by driving around bis constituency in coach and foil!-, living a l nion .lacs. A man sentenced to il month s imprisonment in Dudley xias permitted to poll I ..fore going to gaol, lie being ,obeli to ill!- polling I ill ill the custody of a constable. The aVtcrno-ni reports from tbe London Divisions showed the morning lolling was unusually heavy, particularly among the women. The weather was rather mill, and overcast, a few slight showers falling. Outside some lj union polling centres, there, were large queues waiting bn* thi* opening at seven o’clock, like the first night at the theatre queues. } Prixton. a populous district, iepoi-1-cd that sixty per cent of last year's poll bad already been registered by noon. Mr Homes, a member of tbe County Council, arriving in pyjamas and an overcoat at 0.15 a.i11., maintained his long reputation of being the first voter in East Fulham. Another early morning voter was : man aged eighty, who tottered with the help of a stick.

POSITION OF PARTIES. LONDON, October 00. The latest election results give the state of the Parties as follows; Conservatives I*>s Labour Liberals -3 Miscellaneous -1 The Conservative gains are: Twenty eight seats front Labour and thirty seats from the Liberals. The Liberal gains are: Seven neats from Labour. The Labour gains are: Twelve seat.* from the Liberals and six seats from the Conservatives. A Communist has gained one seat from the Liberals.

THE LIBERAL SI.I'MP. LONDON October 30. Tie “Daily Herald” in an early edition, features the huge slump in the Liberal vote, lsibour. it says. lias been fighting har'd against the pact. The “Herald” says: “There is every indication of a Conservative victory at the polls, partly at the expense of Labour, hut mainly at the expense of the Liberal Party, which has .suffered a crushing defeat. Most of the Labour lasses due to the operation of the Liberal-Conservative pact are in those constituent ies where La liour. last year won by minority votes in three-cornered lights.” Tho "Daily Herald” regrets the loss of .Air Ben Tillett (Salford Ninth) and .Air Hen Turner (Hatley and Morley). and it observes that Manchester Liberalism has been totally eclipsed.

The “Daily Express" says in an editorial: “Tbe Labourites will face the new House of Commons, as a bankrupt administration. ' 'l’he ••Mottling Pest" writing editorially, when only a few results wore available, said: "These show the electors who trembled for the safety of the country and the Empire may breathe freer. The danger has been averted.”

'i’lie Lancashire tc-sults greatly encouraged the Conservatives. The Labourites cheered the return of their first woman member. Miss Wilkinson, fo" Middleshorough East.

The decline in Liberal fortunes was strikingly shown at Grimsby, where Air Tom Wing. whose name was once one to conjure with, was at the bottom of the poll.

BARTICTBABS OF CANDIDATES. LONDON. October 30. Conservatives gained from Labourill South Salford where last year’s Labour victory in a three-cornered contest was converted into a defeat owing to the Liberals standing down.

Other Conservative gains rapidlyfollowed Labour losing Wakefield, Salionl West (where the Liberal stood down), and also Stafford North, where Air Pen Tillet, who last year defeated the Conservative (Mr Finburgh) in in a three-cornered contest, with a a straight fight, lost to Air Finburgh Lihcial.

The Conservatives gained Stockton-on-Tees. and Great Yarmouth, from the Liberals in thiee-coriieied lights, the majorities being 3215 and 10il.

Other Conservative majorities were: For Alauchester Exchange, 250 i ; i<» Salford 8. 70!); for Salford AY., -1352; Salford North. 113 G; and for Wakclield Sill.

The Liehral housing export, Air Edward Simon, was defeated lor Withington Division of Alauchester by a Conservative, Mr Watt, by a majority of 3108 in a four-:ornored light. The famous oarsman, Mr 11. C. Bourne, a Conservative, retained Oxford with an increased majority of 53(30

The intervention of the Liberals at Exton resulted in an increase in the Conservative majority to 8103. A Conservative, Sir A\ . .Lugdoii, gained Hartlepool, defeating the Libora!, Air Jowett. Who voted for the Government in the “Workers Weekly case division. Sir W. Lugden’s majority was 3353. Air dowett’s majoritylast December was IT I in a threecornered light.

Sir Ashmead Bartlett gained Ham-mei-smrTii North from the Labourite, Mr Gardner. He is the. war correspondent, and author of the famous despatch describing the Anscac landing at Gallipoli. \t Husholme division of Alanchester, Air Alerrimai! (Conservative) displaced Air Alnstcrman (Liberal;. Lord Eustace Percy (Conservative) was re-elected fur Hastings, defeating a Labourite. A Conservative gained Bath from a Liberal in a three-cornered contest, in which a Labourite intervened to spoil the Liberal's chances. , Sir Walter Defrcco (Conservative) the husband of Vesta Tilley, gained Blackpool from a Liberal. Colonel Aloy-

A Conservative. Air Du 11-Cooper, gained one seat ill Oldham from Labour. Tbe second seat is retained by Sir Edward Grigg a Liberal. * During this campaign. Lady Diana Cooper, promised to dance in public ill wooden clogs if her husband were vein rued.

DEFEATED ONES. LONDON. October 30

It is notable that both ol lit. lion. Arthur Henderson's sons were beaten Arthur jnr., ill Cardilf, and W illian in Enlield.

The “Daily Telegraph’’ says: “Air Asquith's defeat will be deplored by Conservatives as well as Liberals. T lie former, lealising the Labourites’ desperate efforts ,to capture his seat, kept out of the field, and gave Air Asquith

support.” It is recalled that I.adv Bonham Carter (his daughter) said on Tuesday that Air Asquith would not stand again if deleated.

Air Asquith having been defeated at Paisley, retired from public life, ill accordance with his :t ii non us oil intention. Tbe siicce.ss.ini candidate at Paisley was a Labour advo.-ate Air Uisslyn .Mitchell, whose majority was 2228.

Air Asquith’s scat was known to lie in dancer, also Aliss Bondiie.ld s. I‘ive of the Conservative gains were recorded before 9.15 p.m. though the polling stations mostly were open until nine do k. Tbe counting everywhere was very speedy. The (ideal ol Ben ! illetl i hero of many Labour lights, disheartened the Socialists. THAI .MANN LOSES. Air Tom Alann was defeated in North East Nottingham in a three cornered tight, a Conservative gaining the scat. Nottingham is now represented by three Conservatives and one Labourite. Tom Alann. who stood as Commimi-d In Nottingham East, forfeits bis de-l’”-'t. Di-mhlo Ale l.lovd Georges 111 1 •■ rveiil ion in North-west Camberwell. Dr Macnamara was at the bottom ol the I toll, being -lot)!) below the Conservative.

All- Kinlock Cooke defeated Sir Donald Alcl.oan (Liberal) at Cardilf East. The Conservatives Air Austen Cbamh'ohiii). Sir llnmar Greenwood and Sir Newton Aloore (Westraliau) were elected. .Mrs .Muriel Porter was beaten at Hastings. The Labourites succeeded in their intention of defeating the Liberal’s chance at Nottingham Central, whore a Conservative. Air Bennett, gained the seat from the Liberal Lv a majority of 8255. Air Baldwin's son. Oliver, a Labourite. was defeated liv Dnoley. lint he reduced the Conservative majority to 855. The Liberal candidate stood down. Air Neville Chamberlain just held Ladywoad seat. Birmingham, against a hot attack by Air Oswald Mosley, a

Labourite, with a majority of seventyseven. The Liberal candidate polled only 030. The result was annoimocd after five recounts.

LONDON. Oct. 30. Miss Susan Lawrence, as well as Miss Bondfiehl. was beaten. Colonel Amerv (Torv) was re-elect-ed.

Mr McNamara was behind on the first fount.

Mary Hamilton was one of the unsuccessful I.a hour candidates at Blackburn. where Mr J. Duckworth (Liberal) ntiil Sir S. Heim (Conservative) were re-elected.

Major Cowen. a Conservative, who lost both lees in the war. retained the Fairfield Division of 1 iverniol, defeating Alls Mercer, the Mayor-elect of Birkenhead, hv a majority of oSlio. Lady Astor (Conservative) was re-

elected at Portsmouth. The Conservative. General Sir A. Holland, gained Northampton from I lie l.ahiiiirile. Aliss Margaret Bondfield. in a triangular fight, the Liberal candidate being a hoot manufacturer. Mr ALinsfield. The Afinister. All Leach, was beaten in Bradford Central. He was famous for his pacifist speeches while in office.

The Liberal stood down for a straight out fight and Colonel Godie (Conservative) won by 13!)3. A Liberal gained the Fniversify of AValcs. defeating the Labour Christian Pacifiist candidate. IU. Hon AIT Trevelyan (a Alinister) beat tbe New Zealander. Air F. Al. B. Fisher, at Newcastle on 'I vno. The Communist. Air Saklafvala. heat Air Iloghin for Battersea North.

In London. Mr Britain was re-elect ed. heating Air Levinson. LONDON. Oct. 30.

Rt. Unit .1. dynes and Rt. Hon Stephen AA’alsh (Secretary for AAar) have been re-elected.

lit. Hon .1. H. Thomas’ personal popularity in the railway centre of Derbv assured his re-election, hut he is chagrined hv having a Conservative colleague at AYcstmiuster. Air Luce defeated Air Baynes, the second of the Labour string by 3W votes. The Labourite. Mr Pethiek 1 awreitee the originator of the capital levy was re-elected in Leicester West. The Parsec Communist Air Saklatavla. regained Battersea North by a majority of AO3 from Air Ho-'bin (Liberal) who ousted him last December. Air Hogbin is tbe leader of a Liberal Group which tends to support the Conservatives.

The Liberal Alini-ter. Air AListermaii was defeated hv Air Aleniman (Conservative) in a three-cornered fight for Rnsholme Division. Alanehester. where a Cniiiniunist. Air Paul assisted hv Air Pamnboll. editor of the “Worker*. AVeeklv.” also stood.

The veteran Labourite. Afr .1. Sexton was re-elected for St Helen s in I .micas liiro. defeatin»* Miss a (’onscM’vativo. Air R. A. Taylor, the Labourite, and Alayor-clect of Lincoln, gained Lincoln from the Conservative, Air Davies, in a triangular fight hv a majority ol thirty-nine. Afr Taylor is a shop as-

sistant- and an ex-student of Rusk in College and a propagandist for tho agricultural labourers. The .Minister, Air Civnes was elected for Platting Division of .Manchester in a. three-cornered light with a majority

cf 1035. Air Steven Walsh, was re-elected for luce Division of Lancashire, defeating the Conseravtive, an ex-Indian Civil Service man. Colonel Gabriel. Aliss Wilkinson, n Labourite, is the first woman to lie elected. She gained jMiddlesliorough for Labour, in a threecornered light. • Tiie Home Secretary (Air A. Henderson) lias been elected for Burnley in a three-cornered fight by a majority of 7037 in a straight fight with a mi y .jority of MGS. ormpared -with majority of 7037 in n straight f.gl t with a Conserative at the bye-election in February. ... A Labourite won Barnsley, although tho Conseravtive candidate tliero stood down to give the Liberal a straight tight, hut Labour's maturity was 10duced to 053. . T Labour won Fnrnmoutl. in T.a.ic.ishiro. but the intervention of a Ldieinl candidate reduced the majority to -800 votes.

After the general election last year tho state of parties was: Conservatives -58 Labour Liberals 158 Others , 8 Last General Election in Britain took place in December, 1923. and the one before that 13 months earlier. As reconstituted after the formation of the Irish Free State, the House of Commons consists of Gls members, distributed as follows: England : Counties 230 Boroughs 25-) Universities 1 Wales: Counties 2T Boroughs H University * 3G Scotland : Counties 88 Boroughs 88 Universities 3 Northern Ireland: Counties Boroughs 8 University 1 Grand total 615 FURTHER PARTICULARS. [Reuters Telegrams.]

(Received this day at S a.m.)

LONDON, October 30. Lady Aster's majority, in Sutton division. Plymouth was 5(L9. Austen Chamberlain was re-elected for Birmingham AVest by a majority of 7013 over Communist Doctor Dunstan. Sir Ilainar Greenwood (Conservative) was elected for Alalthamstow East. Minister Ponsonhy was elected in a straight out fight with Conservative in Brightside division of Sheffield, with a majority of 3315. Sir Harry Brittain (Conservative) was elected for Acton ill u four cornered light defeating the Independent, Miss Alary Richardson, the Liberal, B. A. Benson and Labourite, H. A. Baldwin. Richmond (Surrey) returned a Conservative Sir Newton Moore .who defeated the Labourite, Barker, a nephew of Mr Civnes.

J. IL Thomas was elected for Derby with a majority of 2,251.

A Conservative. Sir If. Cayzer. was elected for Portsmouth South, defeating the Labourite Alis.s .lessie Stephen. Portsmouth is now solidly Conservative.

A Labourite was elected for Ardwick Division. Alauchester. defeating tho Conservative, Aliss Jones.

N owc.ustle-on-Ty lie is represented liy one Conservative, and three Labourites. Minister Jowett was defeated in Bradford East hv a Liberal, with a majority of sixty. The Conservatives retired.

D.nTor 1 laden Guest. Secretary of tin- Labour ('oininonwcalth group was re-elected for Southwark North with a majority of 1030 in a three cornered contest.

FURTHER RESULTS,

[Reuters Telegrams.]

.Received this day at .8.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 30.

The Labourites gained a footing in Biriiiiugham which was solidly Conservative for forty years,. Air Dennison the Labourite defeating the conservative Sir Austen the motor manufacturers ayil the Liberal Air Frenvr. The Labourite Doctor Slater gained Bermondsey AYest Irom tbe Liberal, the Reverend Kedward, with a majoritv of ”00'-.

The Communist Afr Stewart, was among the three defeated at Dundee, where Air Morel Sciymgoer was elected. An ex-taxi driver. Air Ben Smith (Labourite) was elected for Rotlierliiflie.

Afinister Tom Grift'ths was elected for

I’ontypool. The Liverpool representation has been completed with eight Conservatives, two Labourites and one Independent Liberal.

The Constitutionalist, Captain Guest, gained Bristol north from the Labourite, Air Avles.

An ox-Ministerial Liberal, Walter Runciman, gained Swansea A\ ost in a three-cornered fight, wherein the economist 1 lew ins was the Conservative candidate.

A Labourite was elected for Swansea and East Bristol, where the pacts designed to exclude Labour originated in 1033.

The completed representation is two Conservatives, one Labourite and two Liberals. For Sheffield there we'.e straight lights in a'l divisions, no Liberals standing. They returned three Conservatives and four Labourites. The Conservatives gained Birkenhead East, Hackney, North Hackney Central lor Liberals owing to Labourite candidates now ejecting Liberals.

Doctor Stella Churchill was successful at Hackney North. She was known as the pink Socialist, owing to the chm m wherewith she preached Socialism.

.Ministers Ammon, Wedgwood, Tom Shaw and the Conservatives Sir Steel Maitland and .loynson Hicks were elected.

The Labourite Susan Lawrence was defeated. Dame Gwypne Vaughan was defeated in a three-cornered fight against Ammon. The I .aboil fits Hart foot was defeated for Woolwich West l>v the Conservative Sir King Ileywood, famous for his uncompromising attacks on tho Labour housing policy.