THE CANADIAN PRESS

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ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Premier Danny Williams's grip on voters in Newfoundland and Labrador shows no sign of weakening.

Williams's Conservatives picked up two seats in a pair of provincial byelections Wednesday to give his party 44 of the 48 seats in the legislature. Kevin Parsons and Kevin Pollard each won handily.

Parsons won in Cape St. Francis district by more than 1,800 votes over Kathleen Connors of the New Democrats.

Parsons ended up with 2,865 votes to 972 for Connors and 317 for Tonia Power-Mercer of the Liberals.

In Baie Verte-Springdale, Pollard won by more than 700 votes over Shaun Lane of the Liberals.

Pollard finished with 1,979 votes to 1,245 for Lane and 316 for the NDP's Tim Howse.

The central Newfoundland riding of Baie Verte-Springdale became vacant in June when former premier Tom Rideout quit the government over a road-funding dispute with Williams.

Williams and two cabinet ministers accused Rideout of using his clout as deputy premier to surreptitiously secure money for his district without approval.

At the time, Williams hailed his departure as the end of pork-barrel funding in the province.

But Rideout made no apologies, defending his right to wrestle as much money as he could for his rural district.

Cape St. Francis, just north of St. John's, became open after Tory stalwart Jack Byrne died in June.

Byrne, a former municipal affairs minister, was a veteran of Williams's government, having served in the provincial legislature since 1993.

The Liberals have just three seats in the legislature while the New Democrats have one.

Less than 50 per cent of the eligible voters in each district cast ballots.