SOUTH ISLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 275, 20 November 1935, Page 14

SOUTH ISLAND.

BALLOT PROSPECTS. ABSENCE OF HECKLING. THE RICCARTON PUZZLE. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") CHRISTCHURCE, this day. The election campaign in Christchurch has proceeded quietly up to the present and is only just beginning to liven up. A factor which has robbed the campaign of much of the excitement usually associated with elections in this city is tlio strong position of the four sitting Labour members, Messrs. H. T. Armstrong, E. J. Howard, T. H. McCombs and D. G. Sullivan. No one believes that they are likely to be defeated and consequently their opponents are not being taken too seriously. Up to the time of writing there has been an almost complete absence of heckling in the Labour strongholds of Avon, Christchurch East, Christchurch South and Lyttelton. Labour opposition to the Government and Democrat candidates has made itself manifest on this occasion in quite a gentlemanly way, but this calm may not continue right up to polling day. Interest is chiefly centred in the prospects in the electorates of Christchurch North, Kaiapoi and Riccarton, where the Labour candidates are putting in strong challenges to the nominees of the Government. Of these threo electorates Kaiapoi seems most likely to be lost to the Government. The retiring Government member is Mr. R. W. Hawke, who last election held the seat by a majority of 1414 votes in a straight-out fight against the Rev. J. K. Archer (labour). On this occasion his opponents are Mr. C. Morgan Williams (Labour) and Mr. A. A. McLachlan (National. Liberal). The electorate comprises urban, rural and industrial areas and a swing to Labour can be expected, especially as Mr. Williams is an able platform speaker and has the advantage of being a farmer. Mr. McLachlan will not poll heavily, but the votes he receives will mostly be taken from the Government candidate, and this will give Mr. Williams an advantage over Mr. Hawke. Christchurch North. Christchurch North should be retained for the Government by Mr. S. G. Holland, a son of the former member, Mr. H. Holland, who held the seat for the past ten years. It is cjiite on the cards, however, that the contest will be close. Mr. D. F.Dennehy, who in 1925 and 192S stood for Christchurch East as a Liberal, is standing for Christchurch North as a Liberal-Democrat, and is meeting with a fair measure of support from electors who formerly supported the Government. The Labour candidate is Mr. R. M. Macfarlane, a young man, who is secretary of the Labour Representation Committee, and he also claims to be meeting with strong support.

The solid Labour vote in the electorate is slightly more than 3000 out of a total of more than 10,000, and Mr. Macfarlano will have to improve very considerably on the late Mrs. McOombs , vote of 3450 in 1931 if he is to win the seat. On the other hand, there are indications that tho Government total, which was 5527 four years ago, will be smaller this year, and tho doubtful factor is the support that Mr. Dennehy will receive. In an interesting finish Mr. Holland should be the winner, with Mr. Macfarlane possibly a fairly close second. Speculation in Riccarton. There are four candidates for Riccarton, and all profess to be equally confident of victory. The sitting member is Mr. H. S. S. Kyle, who has been hard pressed on several occasions, but has finished in the lead with the help of the silent vote which 6tands by him pretty consistently. The electorate is more urban than rural, and the fashionable residential suburb of Fendalton holds the key to the. position. The other candidates are Mr. F. G. Dunn (Democrat), Mr. G. T. Thurston (Labour) and Mr. J. E. Colechin (Independent). Mr. Colechin, who began his campaign last April, is the most attractive platform speaker among the candidates, and he has been flooding the electorate with literature mostly in advocacy of Douglas Social Credit. ' Mr. Dunn has been having successful meetings and is assured of a good measure of support. Mr. Thurston is relying on the appeal of the Labour party, and he has met with excellent receptions in most parts of the electorate. The sitting member, Mr. Kyle, claims to be meeting with etrong support and does seem to be alarmed at the many predictions that he is going to be defeated on this occasion. The electorate presents a real puzzle, but probably when it comes to polling day Mr. Kyle will again reach the head of the poll, with Mr. Thurston second. At the moment, however, Mr. Thurston's chances are- favoured principally because of the splitting of the non-Labour vote. Prospects in Hurunui. The Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, should have no difficulty in retaining the Hurunui seat, though his majority of 3953 in 1931 will be much reduced. He has two opponents, Mr.. D. C. Davie, a Douglas Credit enthusiast, who is the official Labour candidate, and Mr. O. Duff, proprietor of the "North Canterbury Gazette" and former editor of the "Christchurch Press," who is standing) as an Independent.

Mr. Forbes has made a hurried tour of his electorate and has been well received everywhere, but there is an under-current of opposition to him which will be reflected in the voting.