TAURANGA BY-ELECTION.

Otaki Mail, 31 March 1923, Page 3

TAURANGA BY-ELECTION.

_ 9 REFORM CANDIDATE RETURNED BY MAJORITY OF OVER 1000 VOTES r The final figures of the Tauranga byi election, which were announced at about t 7.40 p.m., were as follows.— | MacMillan 423(3 j i Ward 3134 i COUNTRY VOTES CARRY THE j :. DAY. i i MOST ARDENT REFORMERS SURPRISED. The big majority for Mr MacMillan ' has surprised even his own strongest i supporters. Everyone thought the re- '. suit would be close. Owing to the in- : tense interest in the election and to ] the fine weather, the polling was I heavy. It. was generally thought the , small places would give majorities for i MacMillan, but it was considered the j towns would counteract this. The i towns, however, sadly disappointed the Liberals, and allowed the country places to carry the day for MacMillan. A feature of the election is that at Tauranga, where Mr MacMillan is best known, he polled a minority. In speaking to the crowd after the j .final announcement, Mr MacMillan j thanked the electors for returning him i and said that he felt on particularly . ! good terms with Sir Joseph Ward, ' who had fought the fight in a clean and ■ sporting spirit. , Sir Joseph Ward thanked those who • had voted for him, and said he bore no i ill-feeling against lliose whej hud voted i against him. lie congratulated Mr { MacMillan (Voices: "Old Bill did it' for him! ") Sir Joseph: "I trust Mr MacMillan will be successful in carrying on the! work of a member of Parliament." (Voices: "No chance'") Sir Joseph] said he took his defeat in a sporting I spirit and remarked that he couid j > have won a seat ai the general elec- I tion, but for various reasons, lie j decided not stand. He was so >:,!-'] isficd about the questions on which lie j had been speaking that, even though 1 beaten, he intended lo go through the ] country addressing meetings in order i ' to try to make Other men think, for he felt sure the country was on the edge ; ' of a dangerous position. He was well ! s aware of the manner in which the election had been conducted, but he would make no comment. He thanked those , who had voted for him, and those who had worked for him, and the Liberals IJ who had spoken for him. He had no , regrets, and predicted thai much of i ' what he had advocated would be adop- f ted. He stated the lour of the elector- f ate, though strenuous, had greatly r benefitted him in health. j* Mr Atniore said the time was not far distant when New Zealand would call , it> foremost financier back to Parlia- , meat. ! . Cheers were given for the candidates j and others connected with the cam- '-'