POLLING DAYS IN BRITAIN DRAW NEAR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 153, 30 June 1945, Page 5

POLLING DAYS IN BRITAIN DRAW NEAR

FINAL BROADCASTS Morrison And Churchill Wind Up N.Z.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. noon. LONDON, June 29. With polling days drawing near all political parties in Britain are trying to form such estimates as they can as to what the outcome may be, says The Times Parliamentary correspradent. They all find it more difficult than usual to discover firm ground 'on which to base their calculations. Reports from all parts of the country show that apart from a few constituencies there has been virtually no rowdyism at election meetings, the campaign being conducted in an atmosphere of almost'unprecedented calm. Some experts think this indicates an apathetic attitude, but they are sure that an enormous audience nightly listens to election broadcasts. However, nobody yet can say how influential these are. Most of the campaign meetings have been well attended. The audiences have listened quietly and sensible questions have been put to the candidates. There has been an absence of any fierce clash of party strife, but electors have been diligently examining candidates about what they and their parties are doing.

The election will decide whether Britain is going to be a great people or a small one—a nation rich by its own efforts or a seedy nation living on the memories of its past greatness, said Mr. Herbert Morrison, delivering the final Socialist broadcast in the election campaign.

Mr. Churchill will wind up the election campaign for the Conservative and National party to-night. Planning and Control "If the nation has to give marching orders to Big Business to get a higher national income, full employment, big exports and efficient production then the nation must give them" said Mr. Morrison. "Big Business has got to toe the line of public need." Referring to houses, Mr. Morrison said: "Building rings are tough and powerful, but Labour will get houses, as it got guns, by planning and control. We will get them economically because we will stand no price holdups and no shoddy, old-fashioned methods. We will use Government credit to get money cheaply and willprovide homes for the people at prices they can pay without bleeding the taxpayers for unduly High subsidies for profiteers and jerry-build-ers." \

Mr. Morrison declared that the Coalition Government could never agree on any real policy for the control and use of land because organised landowners would not let the Conservatives agree 'to any plan which was not paying them an exorbitant ransom. Britain's Coal Problem Two of the greatest factors in Britain's coal problem, Mr. Morrison said, were, firstly, the gross and shameful technical backwardness of the pits, and, secondly, frustration and depression on the part of miners. Coal royalties before the war were nationalised and the nation, therefore, bought the coal. Let it now buy up the coal mines and turn them into public property and have them run by the best . technical business experts the country could-produce. The steel industry, he said, also needed a plan, but the present owners were incapable of providing it. All such industries would be duly and properly compensated because Labour's policy contained no threat to the legitimate investor.

" "The electors dare not make their vote a mere vote of thanks," Mr. Morrison concluded.. "It must be a vote of confidence in our own youth and adventurous future as a democratic. people, bridging the gap between the outlooks of our two great Allies and linking them together."

Polling days in Britain will be Thursday next and the following Thursday. Two polling days have been decided upon because many voters will be away from their employment during the mid-summer holidays.