FEW CHANGES EXPECTED.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19460, 6 November 1928, Page 15

FEW CHANGES EXPECTED.

PROSPECTS IN AUCKLAND.

[THE PBES3 Special Bertie*.]

AUCKLAND, November 5. With the elections ten days distant the Government's prospects are definitely better than they were at the beginning of v the campaign. It is'unlikely that there will be many changes in this district. There is an element, of uncertainty in regard to two or three seats, where it is possible that the United Party will achieve its only practical effect on the contest by polling sufficient votes to let the Labour candidates win the seatsvby a minority vote. The most striking feature about both the United Party and Labour candidates is that they are devoting their energies almost exclusively to criticising' the Government's ' administration (and are leaving expositions of their own programmes severely alone, Mr V 7. Parry, a Minister in 'Labour's first Cabinet, opened his canv paign in City Central by saying that the Labour Party was the only hope,: not, only of this country, but also of the civilised world. He devoted the whole of the rest of his time to the presentation of a- mass of statistical information which his audience probably understood less than be did. _ The Labour Leader, Mr,H. E. Holland, had a quiet meeting in the Auckland JTown Hall, because the section of the audience not in sympathy with, him preferred to give him a fair hearing rather than adopt the noisy tactics which Labour supporters are using at 1 opponents' meetings throughout the district. Mr Holland gave a brtef, uninspiring survey of his Party s platform, and his' speech was. notable for what he did not say rather than for what he did. ■ „ . ',. ■ • The United Party generally, is be-,, coming very nervous about jrts prospects. It is evidently much distressed at the inability of Sir Joseph Ward .to take the platform. At the outset its candidates made a gallant effort to accept the seventy millions loan scheme, which, as has since been disclosed, surprised the rank and file of the Party as much as it did the general public The next phase was the effort by candidates to excuse the dimensions of this financial adventure by saying .that it was no worse than what the Government had been doing. La * terlv 1 common consent, candidates have been leaving the subject severely alone.

IN OTAGO.

FEW DOUBTFUL SEATS.

'i [THE PBBSS Bpectal Serrlce^ DUNEDIN, November 5. The election campaign *» Otago. has quietened down to such an extent that if the poll were taken to-morrow, there would probably be little appreciable difference between the results and those that will be recorded on the Hth. Practically all the candidates have now addressed the electors. One of the principal features of the campaign is the effort being made by the United Party, through the medium of big advertising space in the newspapers, and extended reports of candidates' speeches —space in this connexion running to as much as five columns for one candidate. -

The position in regard to City seats appears to be mncb the same as it was a week ago. The return of Sir Charles Statham for Dunedin Central, and of Mr Downie Stewart for Duhedin West seems. practically assured, though it would cause no surprise if Mr Stewart's majority of 1925 were considerably diminished.

Chalmers, which was long held for Beform by Mr J. M. Dickson, will'probably be retained by the Government, whose candidate, Mr A E. Ansell, it is generally expected, will have a comfort-' able victory over Mr Walls (United) and Mr Campbeir(Labour). The candidature of Mr McLaehian (Independ-

ent Reform) for Chalmers does not appear to be taken seriously. ■;..•■;:; Dunedin South should provide a close contest between Mr Hall (Labour),- and Mr Todd (Eeform), with the chances of the former most fancied. - Mr Taverner (Mayor of the Oity), the' United oandidate, opened Mb campaign this I week, and it is always on the cards

that he may cause a surprise, as it is generally expected that he will Becure the liquor vote, both his opponents "being Prohibitionists. The general opinion in regard -to Dunedin North is.that the flnaLresult lies between Mr fapley (Reform) «*nd Mr Munro (Labour), with Mr Smith'(United) third; and Mr Thomson (LiberalLabour) last. For several * elections past the vote in Dunedin North has been about 50-50 Reform and? Labour. In the country constituencies; the prospects of candidates do, not appoar to have undergone any,change, . Mr Waite/ Reform ■; candidate _ for Olutha, will probably poll a substantial majority over Mr Stephens (Independent' Liberal), and the chances of Mr Bitchener (Reform) being.again returned for Waitaki are not likely to be' seriously, threatened by, the "efforts of his Labour opponent, Mr Cooke. .The contest between Mr E. P. Lee (Reform) and Mr Macpherson (United) for the'Oamaru seat should v be, a close, one, with the odds slightly in favour of the Reformer. . '

ELECTION NOTICES.

The following eanflidatM wfll iWreil meetings to-night:— " J__ , Mr E. H, Andrews, porner Brown* road and Innes road, ' 7.16 fl'clook;'' corner Paparoai street., and Bayburn ' avenue, 8 o'clock. ' .' >',« , , Mr J. A. Plesher, WeedoM r JVM o'clock; Templeton, BJSO. '-••■', Mr H. S. S. Kyle, Motukarars' School, 8 ■" " '"■*-.■

o'clock. .. Mr E. J. Howard, Wert OhristenureL School, 8 o'clock. •'"...' * Mr D. Q. Sullivan, corner Harrow and Bordesley streets, 7 South Brighton Hall, 8. , Mr J. K. Archer, corner Abberlejr road and St Albans street, 7 o'clock] , Normal School corner, 8. i ' * Mr P. B. Hughes, Arannl Hall, •

o 'clock; ' Mr A. A. MeLachlan, St. Barnabai Schoolroom, Fendalton, 8 o'clock.Mr O.S. MeCnlly, West Spreydon v School, 7.45 O'clock. Mr L. E. ft Macfarlane, North Lcburn, 7 o'clock; Southbrook, 8.30. , Mr G. W. Forbes. Ooalgafce Hall, 8 Mr F. L. Tnrley, Coronation Hall, Oxford. 8 o'clock. ■ ■ Mr. H, Holland, corner Jitagerald street and Edgeware road, 7.15 o'elock; corner Bealey avenne and Caledonian road, 8.15. . ..." Mr J. W. Beanland, Akaroa, 8 o'clock. Mr W. T. Lester, Opawa School, 8 o'clock. . ■ ;'. Mr B. W. Hawke, Mairehan, T o'clock; Shirley School, 8.30. Mr W.,H. Manbire, Brougham street Methodist Schoolroom, 8 o'clock. , Mr D. Jones, Winchmofe, 7 o'clock}" Lyndhurst, 8.15. > • Mr B. "W. Wighfrman, Lake Coleridge, noon; Snowdon, 7 o'clock; 1 ' Glenroy, , 8.30. ' Mr J. Connolly, Allenton, 8.80 o'clock. Mr C. Morgan "Williams, SeafieW School, 8 o'clock. Mr J. McCombs, Little Akaloa. Mrs E. B. McCombs, Kimberley, 745. o'clock; Darfield Hall, 8.30. Mr G. H; Thompson, corner Eliz-Tjoth street, and Pieton avenue, 7 o'clock; Oddfellows' Hall, Upper Biccarton, 8.30.

Babbit Board Politics. . That Parliamentary candidates should have to undergo an elementary examination in economics and recent history,was the opinion expressed* by. Mr 0. E. Burton, M.A., Christian';; Socialist candidate for Eden. ihe people having to decide the country's destinies on the strength of a hectic three weeks' campaign, it should be made incumber.t on candidates to lecture :for * mouths ahead explaining the fundamentals of the policies;" he-declared' f'lf that happened we might get less politics and personalities, -and insteai||aome reel thought on'; vital mattei*;*;' -

THE WEATHER.