The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMER 15, 1933 MUCH ADO

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1933, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMER 15, 1933 MUCH ADO

ihei!e was much ado about the conccst for the Lyttelton seat, and the advent of the Ministerial phalanx into the contest gave the occasion a prominence it hardly required. The fate of the Government was not dependent on' the outcome of the election, for the Coalition enjoys a substantial majority, and tho result of the election makes no difference to the security of the Government in office. At the same time, Labour as a party is able to plume itself on the result, and will endeavour to make capital out of the victory. But it will be like whistling in the dark to keep one’s courage up—the net outcome is rather empty satisfaction. The elec--1 tion ; however, has established the right of the sex to enter Parliament, fli-e privilege lias been on the Statute Book for many years now and Mrs McCombs has achieved something in being able to win a seat. Many fair contestants have tried valiantly to achieve the honour, but without success. The right to sib in Parliament was the natural compliment to the women’s vote, and in the end it was inevitable someone would step into the limelight. In Mrs McCombs the sex has a- very able and we believe conscientious representative, and one who will do honour to the position. The women have a worthy champion in that there is both ability and public . experience behind the representative. Naturally, in a by-eleption there is always .a strong limelight on the contest, and the glamour of the occasion was added to by the great array of public speakers. In that way the position was magnified greatly. Many side issues foreign to the real interest of the occasion were brought to the fore, and party feeling certainly ran high. Lyttelton as a Labour constituency proved a very noisy one, and the right to free speech was much in jeopardy at the outset. This kind of reception to opponents 'is generally meted put by Labour supporters who show marked unfairness in that prevailing attitude. The recent contest was pot any exception to the general run of elections where Labour - forces appear in the field. No reflection is intended on the Labour dan didate in that respect, for we are sure the lady would be as much opposed to such tactics as anyone. But candidates are often prejudiced by the mistaken enthusi-' asm of their over-zealous supporters. The Labour party will be entitled to take all tbe credit possible from the result, which must be regarded as an over-whelming victory. Labour was fortunate in the choice of candidate, but we do not know that the the .electhin was decided altogether by policies. In the ordinary course, being -a Labour constituency and having an outstanding champion, Labour should win, but the win was a very decided one. This as a great compliment to the lady, who- was certainly the strongest candidate in the field. As a minor set back to the Government of its own seeking, the occasion should have its effect in the lesson conveyed that it is not possible to please all folk, but nothing said by opponents in the contest should divert the administration from its objective to uphold the integrity of the country and attempt to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number, a task now promising in success.