19 DECEMBER 1941, Page 4

I referred a week or two ago to the importance

of the forth- coming by-election in the Willowfield division of Belfast, where a Government seat was being contested against the official Government candidate by Alderman Midgley, the leadei of the Ulster Labour Party. The result was a victory for the Labour candidate by virtually three to one, 7,209 votes being cast for him as against 2,435 for the official Unionist. This, coming so soon after the victory of an unofficial over an official Unionist in the by-election caused by Lord Craigavon's death, suggests a new independence of temper in Ulster. JANus.