REFORM TRUIMPH.

Shannon News, 29 March 1923, Page 4

REFORM TRUIMPH.

Over alhou&and Majority “ For MacMilfan., . . .SIR JOSEPHS 1 .ward (WILL” f!!';CONTINUE -CAMPAIGN . AGAINST JIMifIItIinNISXBATIOIf TAURANGA; Last Night.' < The i finalJ figures-of the ®au«V' J rangrt hy-election, which weeeiui- -u nouncednat about 7.40, ip<*n.y were wu , as follows.**--. -•- MacMillan . , 423 ft. *• Ward > 3134 COUNTRY VOTES CARRY THE ; DAY. ' MOST ARDENT-REFORMERS I '-: ' SURPRISED: d TAURANGA, iLast.. Might! j

The big majority for Mr MacMillan, (has surprised even his o,wd ■■strongest. Supporters. Everyone thought the re-, fruit would be close.' Owing to the intense interest- in ' the ' election and to the fine fweather, the ’ polling - 1 ' was iieavy. It was generaUy 'thought!- the sm ; all - places would give majorities for MacMillan;..but it was considered, rthe towns this. ..The towns, however, sadly disappointed the Liberals, and allowed the country placed to .carry the day for MacMillan: : A feature of the election" is that' at .Taurdnga, where Mr MacMilla'n is best iknpwn, -he polled'* a-'minority. in speaking to the crowd-after the fihaiarifiouncement,;.v.Mr • .MacMillan, ■thanked' the electors for returning him and said :that he felt bn particuiarly/good terms:, with' SiV* • Joseph itWard, ifought-fthe ;fight. ; in- a..clean-, i and .sporting spirit. . • „ Sir Joseph- Ward thanked-those who: Had votedi for him, andsaidihesbore no, -ill-feeling;against those;,who had voted .against him. He congratulated Mr MabMillari (Voices:“Old Dill ; Mid - 'it' for himf’i) )C,.\Sir Joseph: “I trust Mr MacMillan, will be;successful- in carrying on the work of a member.: of; Parliament.”(Voices:- VNo chance 1”0 Sir -Joseph geiid he took his defeat in a sportins spirit and remarked' that he 1 could' have won i a seat at the generaL/elec-; , tiph,i but for ..various .reasons,: he decided nbt to stand. He was so satisfied about the questions on‘ which 'he had been speaking ■ that,, ■. even though -beaten, he intended, to go thrpugh the country addressing meetings in order to try to make other men think; for he felt sure .the country was on the edge of a.dangerous position. He was well aware of the manner in which the had I 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 who had spoken for him.. He had no. : regrets, ■ and predicted that much of what he had advocated would' be adopted. He stated the tour*, of the electorate, though strenuous, had greatly benefited'him in health.

Mr Atmdre said the time -'was not far distant ’when New Zealand would; /all its foremost financier back to Parliament.

Cheers were given for the candidates and others connected with the : campaign.

• idN. G. J. ; ANDERSbN’S OPINION/ - HOPES GOVERNMENT CAN * CARRY ON. . CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. On being seen by a representative <of ; the Press after- the final '-figures came to hand, the Hon.' G. J. Anderson said that naturally lie was‘very 'pleased at the result,’'as it showed ; that the Government, its policy, and .jts .history were endorsed by the electors of Tauranga. Tauranga had been a Reform/ stronghold for about"i a quarter of a century, and the electors had shown that the cry that the seat had been held for Reform : 'merely ithrough; the personal popularity of the late Sir William Herrles had been proved incorrect. The merits Of the party had been recognised by the elec-: tors. Mr Anderson went on to say that he hoped the result of the election would ’be to keep-the present Government: in its majority as . shown ast session fas it was. He hoped another general election would not now be necessary, and that the Govern--ment would be enabled to resume tits policy of careful administration. * - sfeEEN INTEREST IN WELLINGTON i i NO DEMONSTRATIONS. WELLINGTON,’ Last Night. Keen interest was taken -in the Tauranga election, and crowds outside the newspaper offices ' watchedV the figures. No demonstration of any kind retook place: l • ,