HAWKE'S BAY AREA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1938, Page 12

HAWKE'S BAY AREA.

I i LITTLE LIFE SO FAR. KEEN" CONTESTS EXPECTED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) j NAPIER, Friday, j The Hawke'a Bay district apparently plans to approach the general election with a line crescendo of political activity. There ha* been little life in the campaign so far, but no one doubt* that vigorous and lively campaigning is inevitable, with desperately keen conj tests in each of the Waipawa, Napier and llawke'o Bay constituencies.

It will not be possible to question the decisiveness of the result in any one of them, as a straight out contest between official Labour and National candidates is promised in each instance. In both Napier and Waipawa in 1935 the voting ntw split by Democrats or Independents. Their mti"iwion made no difference in Napier, where the Hon. W. E. Barnard was returned with a

majority of more than 3500 over his three rivals, but Waipawa went to Mr. H. M. Christie, although his poll was nearly 2500 below the combined vote of the official National candidate, one Independent and one Democrat. Mr. Christie (Labour) and Mr. A. E. .lull (National) in Waipawa, and Mr. E. L. Cullen (Labour) and Mr. G. A. Maddison (National) in Hawke's Bay are all on with their campaigning. Campaigning in Napier, which is by no means & large constituency in area, will not be thoroughly launched until next week. So far the only meeting which has been held was that of the National candidate, Mr. J. D. Ormond. jun., who carried the attack right into the enemy's camp by opening with an address at Sort Ahuriri. His meeting was lively, but good natured, and he had every reason to feel satisfied with the reception given to him in a locality which in the past has been unmistakably hostile to other than Labour candidates.

Mr. Barnard, who lias liad a firm grip on the Napier seat since, as almost a complete stranger ill the community, he won it in 102?, will open his campaign next Monday.