LAST DAYS OF CAMPAIGN

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20956, 9 September 1933, Page 14

LAST DAYS OF CAMPAIGN

LYTTELTON BYELECTION FOURTEEN MEMBERS TO TAKE PART HEAVY POLL ANTICIPATED At least 14 members of Parliament will be in the Lyttelton electorate for the last two days of the by-election campaign. In the last fortnight public interest in the contest has been steadily increasing, and every effort is being made by the organisers on both sides to bring the electorate to a full sense of its responsibilities during the four days that remain. The Returning Officer (Mr J. J. McCahey) is fully prepared for a large poll on Wednesday next, September 13. An important event in the campaign will be the arrival this morning of the Acting-Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) to address meetings in all parts of the electorate in support of the Coalition candidate, Mr F. W. Freeman. Mr Coates played an important part in the Motueka by-election, and supporters of the Coalition in Christchurch are hopeful that his visit at this stage will arouse the electors to the support of the Government's policy. This morning at 10.30 o'clock he will leave Christchurch for Akaroa, where he is to give a public address in the early afternoon. In the evening he will speak at the Opawa Methodist Schoolroom. On Monday and Tuesday, the two days immediately preceding the poll, Mr Coates will visit Sumner, Cashmere, Woolston, and Lyttelton. Many More Visitors. Apart from the Acting-Prime Minister, Mr Freeman wU be assisted by Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Waitomo) Mr W. A. Bodkin (Central Otago), Mr A. E. Ansell (Chalmers), and by two local Coalition members, Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Riccarton) and Mr H. Holland (Christchurch N At h the head of the Labour forces is the Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland). New arrivals on Monday will be Mr R. Sernple (Wellington East) and Mr Clyde Carr (Timaru). Mr F. Langstone Wai- . marine) and Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) have been engaged m the campaign for .some time now, and they are assisted by Mr E. J. Howard (Christchurch South), Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon), and Mr H. l. Armstrong (Christchurch East). Needless to say. the P ?* JS rnanv outside members has placed snecial demands upon the respective organisations, and a ereat deal of time and effort has been reouired to arrange for the tinal rallies in the campaign. Reception at Meetings. The peculiar nature of the Lyttelton electorate and the many uncertain factors which are to be found in the present by-election were discussed in "The Press" on August 61. There has been no substantial change in the position since then, although the v&t of the Minister for Lands (the Hon. E A- Ransom) undoubtedly advanced Mr Freeman's case, particularly among the Liberals in the .electorate. If the result of the election was to be determined entirely by the demonstra tions at political meetings, then the Labour candidate Mrs E. K McCombs, might be poured. But it is to be remembered that anti-La-bour candidates always meet wrm 'stronger opposition in public than LabouY candidates; that large numbers of electors never bother to attend these meetings; and that it is often their "silent" vote which is the deciding factor when the poll is There was an instance of this in Christchurch North at the last.general election. Mr Henry Holland, the Coalition candidate, had a strenuous time at some of his meetings, and both Mrs McCombs and the Independent candidate (Mr L. C Walker) were received with wna enthusiasm: yet when the numbers went up Mr Holland was an easy winner by about 2000 votes. Factors in the Election. In spite of confident predictions In Labour circles that Mr E. L. Hills will receive only 200 votes at the most, there are indications that his following will be very much more substantial than this. His votes are more likely to be drawn from Labour than from Coalition electors, and if he polls, well he may represent quite an important factor in Mr Freeman's favour. Setting aside the personalities of the candidates and their respective records in public affairs, one of the principal factors operating against Mr Freeman, it seems, will be the vague "against the Government feeling, which is a characteristic of all periods of depression, and the extent of which is very difficult to assess. On the other hand, it is to be remembered that a large part of the electorate is occupied in farming pursuits and the recent re- * covery of prices is expected to retain the farmers' support strongly for the Government. The consequences of the Labour candidate being a woman is another unknown quantity. While Mrs McCombs may be expected to receive a good deal of feminist support, many electors, rightly or wrongly, are still inclined against electing a woman to Parliament; and it appears that the handicap upon her on this account will probably be greater than the special support she will receive.

STATUTORY HALF HOLIDAY Election day, "Wednesday, September 13, will be observed as a statutory half-holiday for shops in the Lyttelton electorates. Hotels will be required to close from noon. Employees in lactones who are qualified electors must be allowed seasonable time off in which to vote. li MM COATES AT LITTLE RIVER h Oft hi 3 way to Akaroa this morning, «w A/fiitig-Prime Minister (the Et. i, m 3. Q. Coatcs) will be entertained lAt morning ttu by the realdenta o* Ptg* Stiver, lie will thus be able #MW*»jkwg-standing invitation,