LYTTELTON ELECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1186, 18 December 1913, Page 2

LYTTELTON ELECTION.

THE SECOND BALLOT

MR M’COOMBS EJECTED

Christchurch, December 16. The Second Ballot between Messrs J. M'Coombs and J. Miller for the Lyttelton seat, rendered vacant by the death of Mr Geo, Laurenson, took place to-day: — The polling at the first ballot was as under : J. M’Coombs (Social Democrat) 2075 J. Miller (Government) 1560 J. Laurenson (Liberal) 922 Dr. Thacker (Ind. Liberal) 273 W. Radcliffe (Liberal) 112 THE FINAL FIGURES. The final figures at Tuesday s poll were : J. M’Coombs (Social Democrat) 2628 J. Miller (Government) 2402 Majority 226 The number on the roll was about 6000.

PRIME MINISTER REVIEWS RESUET.

The Prime Minister, on being interviewed last evening, made the following briel statement regarding the result of the by-elec-tion :

“ Our man put up a great fight, though be was not successful in securing a majority. Remembering that at the last general election we were over two thousand votes behind, whereas we are now only a little over two hundred behind, there is no reason to be despondent. On the contrary, the figures show that the old so-called liberal Party is defunct, and that public opinion has veered round in a way which must be satisfactory to every member of the Reform Party, The position is now quite clear. It is a question now between moderate liberalism and the supporters of law and order on one side, and the other Social Democracy, which, being interpreted, means Red Fed-ism and syndicalism. “ To the people of this country I would say : ‘ Choose ye whom ye will serve,’ or, rather, ‘ Choose ye whom ye will support,’ and it is not at all difficult to predict what the result will be.”