Landslide in Yesterday's Elections

Marlborough Express, Volume LXII, Issue 269, 15 November 1928, Page 5

Landslide in Yesterday's Elections

REFORM PARTY LOSE TWENTY-FIVE SEATS Three Ministers Defeated NEW UNITED PARTY COMES IN STRONG Critical Political Situation Arises The General Elections, held yesterday, resulted in the sensational collapse of the Coatcs Government, which faced the electors holding no fewer than 53 of the 80 seats in the House, and which has apparently lost 25 oi thern. The newly-organised United Party, under the leadership of Sir' Joseph Ward, made a net gairi of 16 seats, and now appears to bo of equal strength with the Government. The Avonderful achievement of Sir Joseph Ward 's party resulted in the Labor Party, although it made a net gain of six seats, losing its proud position as Official Opposition and being rejegated to. the position of third party in the House. The situation which has ar.isen is probably without parallel in the political history of the Dominion. Upon the returns up to last night, which are, of course, subject to a good deal of alteration with the counting oi the absentee \otcs, the Government and the United Party each commands 28 seats, while the Labor Party commands 20. Three of the other four are held by Independents and oue by a solitary representative of the Country Partjr. Just what will happen when the House meets is most difficult to forecast.

Ineluded in the Government 's debaele three Ministers— the Hon. F. J. Rolleston (Timaru), the Hon. A. D. McLeod (Wairarapa), and the Hon. 0. J. Hawken (Egmont) — lost their seats, as did the Chairman of Committees, Mr F. F. , Hockley (Rotorua) and the Chief Whip, Mr J. S. Diekson (Parnell). Mr W. J. Girling, tlie member for Wairau, was also defeated, Mr E. F. Healy winning the seat /for the United Party. The seats lost by the Government wero as follows - Parnell, Roskiil, Bay of Islands, Marsden, Waikato, Rotorua, Waitomo, .Napier, New Plymouth (Taranaki), Stratford, Egmont, Rangitikei, Oroua, Wairarapa, Wellington East, Wellington North, Wairau, Motueka, Timaru, Riccarton, Oamaru, Dunedin North, Awarua, and Southern Maori. The United Party lost Waimarino, Westland,. and Dunedin South, but gained Auckland East, Parnell, Eden, Roskiil, Marsden, Waikato, Rotorua, Waitomo, New Plymouth, Stratford, Oroua, Wairarapa, Wairau, Motueka, Riccarton, Oamaru, Awarua, Eastern Maori and Southern Maori. Egmont and Rangitikei are now held by Independents, as is Dunedin Central, and Bay of Islands •is held by a representative of ihe Country Party. Labor lost Auckland East and Grey Lynn, and its gains were: — Napier, Waimarino, . Wellington East, Wellington North, Westland, Timaru, Dunedin . North, and Dunedin South. On the figures available up to 5 o'clock this morning The Marlborough Express computes that the

totnl number of votes east for the various parties throughout the Dominion was as follows: — Reform . . 257,032 United . . . . 207,536 Labor . . . . 179,497 Others ,. .. 47,624 Total . . 691,689 The s-tate of parties up to last night, as contrasted with the state of the parties prior to the elections, was as follows: —

Prior to After Election. Election. Reform . . 53 28 United . . 11 28 Labor . . 14 20 Independent 2 3 Country Party 0 1 80 80