RAGLAN BY-ELECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3698, 1 October 1927, Page 3

RAGLAN BY-ELECTION.

WON BY LABOUR CANDIDATE.

RESULT OF VOTE SPLITTING.

The by-election to till the vacancy for the Raglan seat, caused by the death of the Hon. R. F. Bollard, was held on Thursday, and resulted

in the return of the Labour eandi- ' date, Mr. W. Lee Martin, who had a majority of 175 over the Reform nominee, Mr. T. H. Waring. The polling was as follows: — W. Lee Martin (Labour-Social-ist) 2200 A. H. Waring (Reform) 2025 T. Parker (Liberal) 1095 C. A. Magner (Country Party) 532 W. J. Taylor (Independent Reform) 198 Majority for Martin 175 STATEMENT BY PREMIER. While attributing the defeat in Raglan to vote-splitting, the Prime Minister (Right Hon. J. G. Coates) in a statement issued last night predicts a reversal of the verdict at the general election, provided too many candidates opposed to Labour principles do not stand. The statement is as follows: — ‘'The result of the Raglan byelection is due to vote-splitting on the part of those opposed to the policy of the Labour Party. The aggregate of the votes cast against the successful Labour candidate shows that the great majority in the electorate are definitely opposed to the principles and policy of the Labour-Socialists. The seat has gone to the Labour Party on a minority vote, but I predict with confidence that to-day’s verdict will be reversed at the general election, provided that there are not too many candidates anxious to demonstrate their opposition to the principles of the Socialistic Party. I feel sure that one result of this contest will be to. consolidate the forces in the community which are definitely opposed to the platform of the Labour Party.” LABOUR LEADER’S VIEW. “The Labour Party is naturally very pleased with the result,” said Mi*. H. Holland (Leader of the Opposition). “The contest was one of the cleanest that I have taken part in. It was quite free from personal attacks and was fought on the ground work of principles. The result indicates the established unpopularity of the Reform Administration. The fact that on the figures now available the majority of over 3000 votes which the late Mr. Bollard had at the election in 1925 has not only disappeared, but has become a minority shows how the support has fallen away from the Government Party. In every centre that members of the Labour Party visited during the election the one thing that was outstanding was the dissatisfaction of the people with Reform. Mr. Lee Martin, who is a working farmer, will be a great acquisition to the ranks of the Labour Party in Opposition in the House, and it seems to me that his victory indicates the change that is likely to take place at the elections next year,” Mi*. Holland added. “The result also completely disposes of the old bogey that the Labour Party is antagonistic to the farmer. In this case the Labour candidate was a farmer and the constituency overwhelmingly rural.” 1 SIR JOSEPH WARD’S VIEW. Sir Joseph Ward made the following statement to a Dominion representative : “The result clearly demonstrates that with several candidates going to the poll an element of uncertainty must necessarily come in. This uncertainty will, in my opinion, continue to exist so long as the system of ‘fifst-past-the-post’ of deciding our elections continues. Viewing the course of events in connection with this election, it appeared to me that it was a case of anything happening. The turn-over of so large a number of votes since the last general election is quite remarkable, and should give a strong indication between now and the next general election to those who have fared so badly that public opinion is moving rapidly in, the direction of wantng a change. That is confirmed from what I. heard during my visit to the Raglan electorate, and where I may say I received every courtesy that a visitor could wish for, the election being well conducted. Naturally I would have been delighted if Mr. Parker had been returned. He is a fine stamp of man, and his day, if he wishes it, is, in my opinion, sure to come.” PRESS COMMENT. “Two factors which contributed to the falling-off in the Government candidate’s vote were (1) the prevalent discontent due to the period of depression through which the country is passing; and (2) the weakness of the candidate, politically, as compared with his predecessor, the late Hon. R. Bollard. It was the splitting of votes, however, that gave the seat to the Labour-Socialist Party’s candidate, and the solid front presented by the Labour-Socialist group, especially by the substantial body of miners in the electorate. The loss of the Raglan seat is not likely to embarrass the Government, but it may prove a blessing in disguise if it brings home to the farming community and moderate voters generally the folly of dividing their for-

ces and thus enabling the LabourSocialists to secure control.” —Dominion.

THE NEW MEMBER. Mr. W. Lee Martin, the new member for Raglan, has had a long career in Labour circles. He was secretary of the Painters’ Union at Wanganui from 1909 to 1912, four years a member of the Board of Governors of the Wanganui Technical ICollege, seven years member and two years chnjirman of the Tamahere Road Board, Labour candidate for the Hamilton seat at the 1925 election, a member of the Workers’ Educational Association, an executive member of the League of Nations Union, a member of the Auckland provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union, president of the Waikato Farmers’ Union (1926 and 1927), and a member of the Central Electric Power Board since its iencption seven years ago. For the past fifteen yeai*s Mr. Martin has been dairying at Matangi, Waikato. He is a share-holder of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., and has for many years been an ardent advocate of extended co-operation among farmers. He is fifty-seven years of age. He was once an officer in the Salvation Army, and is now a Methodist preacher.