of the strenuous resistance ... offered by the Liberal party", making it one of the main issues of the election. Lockie defended the government's position, stating that the bill promoted "efficiency in education and the more equitable distribution of its cost". Other issues Lockie used the recent peace following the Second Boer War in South Africa to mobilize government supporters in a constituency heavily influenced by military industry, stating that with a continued Conservative government would the dockyard in the city receive adequate recognition. He had spent the years after his 1900-defeat showing a great deal of attention to the dockyard and the conditions of the men working there, and was known to favor dialogue between capital and labour. Brassey worked to give attention to dockyard grievances. Brassey raised his concern on the growth of national expenditure , attributing much of it to "insufficient control and supervision of the public departments". Lockie promised to vote "against any tax on corn and other commodity of every-day life". Result Lockie won the seat for the Conservatives by a wafer-thin majority of 28 votes (0.4%). Lockie was troubled by ill-health, and resigned less than two years later, in June 1904. He died in January 1906. In the following by-election the Liberal candidate re-took the seat. References By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Devon constituencies Elections in Plymouth, Devon October 1902 events 1902 elections in the United Kingdom 1902 in England 1900s in Devon