Labour Wins the Day

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 163, 30 September 1927, Page 1

Labour Wins the Day

REFORM’S LOST MAJORITY Mr. Lee Martin Tops Raglan Poll THE Reform Government’s 1925 majority of 2,856 was transformed into a minority of approaching 200 in the Raglan by-election, which ended yesterday in a victory for Mr. W. Lee Martin, the Labour candidate. Formerly a Government stronghold, the Raglan electorate was previously represented by the late the Hon. Richard F. Bollard, Minister of the Crown.

o f the five candidates, two polled . very poorly, but the contest between Reform and Labour was very close, and not until the final returns were coming In was It clear that Labour had scored. With absentee votes and one outlying booth to be returned, Mr. Martin had a lead of nearly 200, considerably more than the aggregates of votes yet to be: tallied. At nine o’clock last night, therefore, his position could be regarded as secure. Details of the voting:— W. Lee Martin (Labour) .. .. 3,200 A. H. Waring (Reform) 2,035 T. Parker (Liberal) 1,035 C. A. Magner (Country Party) 532 W. J. Taylor (Indt. Reform) 198 Majority for Mr. Lee Martin .. 175

Ninety-seven absentee votes are to come. In the 1925 general elections, the result was: Bollard (Reform) 4.470 ' Piggott (Labour) .. .. .. 1,614 Lye (National) 965 Duxfleld 222 In the 1922 election Mr. Bollard's majority was 776 over Mr. Lye, who polled 2,718 against Mr. Piggott’s 99. On that occasion Mr. Piggott forfeited his £lO deposit. Mr. Lye and Mr. Duxfleld did the same in 1925, and Mr. Taylor, and possibly Mr. Magner, who polled better than was generally expected, loses the deposit on this occasion. Mr. Taylor got practically all his votes at Tuakau, his home district.