CANDIDATE'S PROFILES Four Standing In Christchurch Cental

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30278, 2 November 1963, Page 12

CANDIDATE'S PROFILES Four Standing In Christchurch Cental

(Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, *. November 1. Christchurch Central is one of the few electorates in the Canterbury and West Coast areas in which there will be four candidates for the General Election. They are the sitting member, Mr R. M. Macfarlane (Labour), Mr J. G. Locke (Communist), Mrs L. Thomson (Social Credit), and Mr D. J. Patchett (National). There have been two changes in the boundary of the electorate: one removes a block from the Dallington district, which is added to the rest of Dallington in the Avon electorate; the other is the addition of the Merivale residential area bounded by Leinster road, Papanui road and Rossall street. This was formerly in Fendalton. The results of the 1960 election in Christchurch Central were:— Flint (National) .. 4,851 Green (Soc. Credit) 851 Locke (Communist) 133 Macfarlane (Lab.) 6,786 Informal .. 83 Total .. .. 12,704 Mr Macfarlane is 62 and has been in Parliament since 1939 when he won the Christchurch South seat. Since 1946, he has represented Christchurch Central. He was first a member of the Christchurch City Council in 1927 ar«A, has;

spent 11 years as Mayor of the city He was Chief Whip of the Labour Party in Parliament for six years and, for three years from 1957. was Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Mr Macfarlane is a keen supporter of sports and is patron of a number of clubs including the Albion Rugby Club.

He has been secretary of the Christchurch Labour Representation Committee. a member of the Tramway Board and Lyttelton Harbour Board

Mrs Thomson is a housewife who joined the Social Credit Political League in

1953. She was bom in England in 1899 and came to New Zealand with her husband in 1918. They have two children. Mrs Thomson claims not to have been previously especially interested in local affairs or national politics, but considers Social Credit to be a cause which should draw her into public affairs. Mr Patchett is 28. is married, and has one child. He was educated at St Andrew’s College where he took an agricultural course. He then worked on his father’s farm and other sheep stations. He became a motor salesman and started a spare parts firm which he sold three years ago. He now runs a

tourist business and is a guide for hunting, shooting and fishing parties. Mr Patchett is the director of three small companies in the motor trade, and his recreations include jet-boating, ski-ing and chess. Mr Locke 13 one of the three candidates of the Communist Party who will be standing for Christchurch seats. He is 55 and this is the third General Election he has contested in this electorate. He has been a member of the party for 28 years, and on its national committee for 20 years. Mr Locke was born in London, came to New Zealand 37 years and has lived in

the electorate for the last 25 years. He has been a freezing worker for 20 years, and earlier worked on dairy farms. During the Second World War he spent four years in the R.N.Z.A.F. He has maintained an interest in local body affairs, education and national politics. He is married and has four children.

Two years ago Mr Locke spent six weeks in China as a Communist Party representative studying trade prospects. Selwyn Candidate,—The age of the Labour Party candidate for Selwyn. Mr F. E. Smith was given incorrectly in “The Press” yesterday. Mr Smith is 35.