THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24271, 31 May 1944, Page 2

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

COMMENT BY ACTINGPRIME MINISTER REPLY TO MR HOLLAND (P.A.) WELLINGTON. May 30. •‘The results of the municipal elections are interpreted by Mr Holland as a ‘clear indication of coming changes,’ ” said the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), commenting on the statement by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland). “It would seem that such changes as the Leader of the Opposition sees are entirely political, although all Citizens’ Associations declared from the platforms and in the press dhat they had no relation to party politics,” continued Mr Sullivan. “Indeed, they deplored what they described as the introduction of political issues by Labour candidates. Now we find Mr Holland revelling in the ‘political significance’ of the results of the local elections. "A wiser man than Mr .Holland would curb his optimism about the trend of public opinion. He should be reminded of his own soothsaying in May, 1941, when he exuded optimism on the municipal election results at that time Events proved .that the socalled municipal landslide against Labour did not smother the Labour Government in the general election in 1943. The municipal position in 1944 is very similar to what it was in 1941, and there is no greater reason to-day to believe that the results of the municipal elections have any special significance for the Parliamentary elections two and a half years hence.

“It may be observed that Mr Holland himself has some doubts behind his optimism, because he says that his party must not lose a day or an hour in the next two and a half years in its task of preparing for the great opportunity of Government,” concluded Mr Sullivan.

MR HOLLAND’S REPLY

“WHISTLING TO KEEP UP COURAGE ”

“If ever there was a case of whistling to keep up the courage, then surely there could not be a better example than the Acting-Prime Minister’s statement about the municipal elections,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) last night, when he commented upon a reply by the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) to his earlier statement on the results of the local body elections on Saturday.

“I purposely and deliberately refrained from drawing any political inferences from last Saturday’s elections,” continued Mr Holland, “but apparently Mr Sullivan does not agree on that point, and he insists on reminding the public that the Labour Party that contested the municipal elections is precisely the same Labour Party that contests Parliamentary elections, “If there is one point that stands out from Saturday’s results, it is the clearly expressed determination of the electors themselves not to allow national politics and pressure groups to dominate New Zealand’s system of local government. The Labour Party’s general secretary (Mr M. J. Moohan) declared that the local body elections were a potent issue, and that Labour had accordingly hoisted its banners everywhere. The public expressed its opinion on that pronouncement by lowering Labour’s banners everywhere. and nothing that Mr Sullivan can say can explain that fact away. ”1 can see no point in entering into a wordy warfare with the ActingPrime Minister, The Labour Party suffered a crushing defeat last Saturday, and that is all there is to it.”