THE BULLER SEAT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1933, Page 5

THE BULLER SEAT

P. C. WEBB ELECTED

A SMALL POLL RECORDED. (Per Pres* Association — (Copyright.) WESTPORT, November 22. The by-election to fill the seat occupied by the late Mr H. E. Holland as member for Buller took place to-d-y, and (resulted in the election of Mr P. 0. Webb. The .poll was more than' 1300 fewer '’han that at the General Election, the anticipation of the result as a win for Mr Webb having obviously affected the extent of the voting. The LiberalLabour candidate, Mr I. 11. Simson, though not .polling so well as the op-1 ponent of the Labour Party alt last election, secured 2223 votes, while the informal voting exceeded 350. The voting was as follow;—\ P. 0. Webb 4696 I. H. Simson ... ... 2229 Majority ... ... 2467 The General Election figures in 1931 were Holland 6136, Menzies 2505; majority 3631. AFTER THE POLL. ■SPEECHES. BY CANDIDATES. ; WESTP.OKTv. November 22.

After the result of. the by-election was made known to-night-, the public was addressed bv both the candidates from the balcony of Prince’s Hotel. M r Webb was greeted with sustained applause.

He thanked the electors fo-r the magnificent vote which they had accorded Iran. .He, however, regretted ■the deep sadness of the occasion, through the memory of the late Labour Leader. Tji e Government, he said, would • read into the figures that day the indication of what would happen at next general election. 'Mr Webb said that he was' indeed pleased 'with the admirable support which he had obtained from the miners, and also -as ' being a -stranger here, .at getting a majority in the town of Westport.' He .congratulated Mr Simson on the fact that it was a. clean fight, hut lie thought that Mr 'Simson was like Mr Forbes and Mi' Coates in the respect that he had no policy. Mr Webb thanked all of his committees for their wonderful cooperation. He hoped next election o see ■.a Labour Government returned.. 'He ' wag very pleased to nave Mrs i Fcw.m.ah f,, *"fdaUghtCT'“!(jf“ l ' l +lre ii 4’fte i '' Mr 1 Holland) present. He would take up the work where' her late father left off; eveil though he could not hope, to eqiial him. Votes cast against him .would make no difference, and hej would cO-opcrate with all local bodies ip tiia interests of the constituency. Mr Webb then called for three ehceng for the defeated candidate, which were given. Mr Simson congratulated Mr Webb on his victory. (H. e - (Mr Simson) did, not expect to win. He had made j many .friends in Westport. He wchild stay here, and he would be the next Mayor of the town. Labour, he considered, would /require help from Liberals to get the Treasury benches. He thanked .all who supported him. He called for three cheers for Mr Webb. The candidates shook hands amid applause.