Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 20 May 1918, page 6


FLINDERS BY-ELECTION.

DECLARATION OP POLL.

The declaration of the poll in the Flind-ders by-election for the House of Represen tatives took place at Dandenong on Satur day, the announcement being made by the divisional returning officer (Mr W J Field). Tht final returns were: Captain S M Bruce, MC (Nationalist) 14 440; Mr G J Holmes (Caucus Labor) 7 740; Mr J J Hall (Farmer's Union) who with drew on the eve of polling day, 392; infor mal, 303; majority for Captain Bruce, 6,789 The announcement was received with ap plause.

Captain Bruce in returning thanks said that they could take one thing from the election and that was that in an hour of aerj jçrave natierml cn-i« thej lied fought a rejntest m which no personal elements had bein introduced He had stood for the principien of th« parly he rej»rtST»ted and if a «adulate, could not ra on the menta of his own policy he did not want to win on the de-merits of another man s policy He rmild not exasrç'-Tate the assis tanee he received from thisr supporting the c/m**e he represented and the result showed that they mn«t hare worked strenu onslj The work of the Saticfnal Federa tion and the Womens National I^apjnc avas above praise and he de*-nred to partial

larly mention the Dandenong branch of the leapie t "Applause )

Ml Holmes expressed the hope that Cap tam Bruer would be able to galvanise the Federal Ministry into "mut netiutr as he ?vent into Parliament at a time aahen the MiniAtrv had announced its intention of going on strike irana and asking the people to provide its strike par (Lnugntei ) He asserted thal he had hail to fight ajçamst seul nions abuse and the non publication of his refutations of the untruths The Is hour party built for the future and a de feat to da) might be a viclorj lo morrow

Air Hall defended the right of his or Rtuusation to contest Ihc seat and said that it had made electoral reform the aital issue His organisation had no dealings with the other political parties (A "A oico - That is pretty hot I nuihtrr ) It onlv sought an aasurrnce from tlic National Pariiamcn

tarv part} on electoral retorm and.al lim thnt aias given ho authdrcvv in conformity ivith the decision of the electoral committee

n. vote of thanks was tendered the re tnrnmK officer who avas complimented on th« eflicicncy of the arrangements for the

election