WELLINGTON CENTRAL BYELECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1886, 5 October 1918, Page 3

WELLINGTON CENTRAL BYELECTION.

A VICTORY FOR LABOUR

The hv-clociion on Thursday for the Wellington Central sent ■ (rendered vacanl I>y the death of Mr I?. Fletcher, n Libera! member), resnlird in (he return of Mr P. Fraser, (bo Labour Party’s candidate. The final figures were: — Fraser 2008 Mack ]044 Hildreth 784 Atmore ISS Garmson 2!) Tanner !)

Out of a roll-of 9,17(1 only 4,71!) recorded votes.

ELECTIONS OF 1011 and 191 1. In the General Election of 1014 (lie voting'was ; R. Fletcher (Liberal) 4910 F. M. B. Fisher (Reform) ... 2077 Majority for Fletcher 2233 Total of votes polled 7587 The voting of 1911 was: — First Second Ballot. Ballot. Fisher (R.) 2987 3813 Fletcher (L.) 2983 3(582 Young, IV. T. (Lab.) 1372 Freeman (1.) 189 Final majority for Fisher, 131. Totals of voles polled .‘—-First ballot, 7,522; second ballot, 7,195, THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE. Mr P. Fraser was horn in Rossshire, Scotland, in 1884. In his early manhood lie was one of (lie fighters for the County Radical and Liberal Association. In 1907 he joined the Independent Labour Party in London. On his arrival in New Zealand he joined the Auckland Branch of the Socialist Party, and had a terra as president. He was also president of the Auckland General Labourers’ Union In 1911. Ho represented the Federation of Labour in Waihi during the strike uf 1912 after the imprisonment of Mr W. E. Parry. At the Unity Congress of 1913 Mr Fraser was elected national secretary of the Social Democratic Party (of which he is now president), and was organiser for a time. Later he did waterside work until a few months ago, when he became acting-editor of the Maorihind M urker, in succession to Mr H. E. Holland. Mr Fraser had a prominent part in thy big strike of 1913.