The two great political events of the week have been
the greatly increased Conservative majority at Oxford gained for Lord Valentia during the Easter Vacation, when a great many Unionist voters must have been away from the University„. and the seat which we have won from the Gladstonians in Mid-Norfolk. At Oxford, Lord Valentia gained a majority of 602, against one of only 120 gained by Sir George Chesney in 1892, and this on an increased poll, Lord Valentia having polled 3,745 votes, against Dr. Fletcher Little's 3,143. At the election of 1892, Sir G. Chesney polled only 3,276, against Mn. Souttar's 3,156; so that the Gladstonian candidate's poll fell off by 13, while the Conservative's increased by 469. In Mid- Norfolk on Tuesday the seat was won for the Conservatives by a majority of 208, by Mr. Gurdon; whereas in 1892, the Gladstonian candidate, Mr. Higgins, Q.C., gained it against Mr. Gurdon by a majority of 470. This shows that in a characteristically agricultural constituency, the pendulum has. swung distinctly back from Radicalism in three years' time. Hodge is gaining his sea-legs in political life, and is beginning to feel his doubts of Liberal promises.
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