Poll shows National lead

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33979, 21 October 1975, Page 20

Poll shows National lead

The result of a poll taken four weeks ago indicates that the National Party has increased its lead over the Labour Party in voter support.

Made for the New Zealand “Herald" by the National Research Bureau, the nation-; wide survey incorporated personal interviews with 2000 eligible voters, chosen t>y • random probability methods. It showed National with a margin of 13 percentage ipoints over Labour. In com-1 parison, Labour led National Iby three points in the September. 1972, survey and increased its lead to six points in the November election. In 1969. National’s margin of nine points over Labour in: the September survey. ’shrank to one point in the (November election. Thus the jevidence from the two previous elections is that the op-’ I position party tends to perI form better at the electioni Than its standing in a poll! ’two months earlier might; imply. The Herald-NRB poll does; , not purport to forecast the

11 result of the ballot next month. It does, however. ■ (show that popular backing I (for Labour has dropped to lithe lowest level recorded in .six years of countrywide political opinion polling by the bureau. ■ Having drawn ahead of the ’Government in March this (year, the Opposition has now twice in succession expan : ded its lead. And its latest gain is wholly at the expense of Labour, since the degree of public support for the minor parties has not varied |on figures from the July poll Between September 13 and 20, the survey asked elec tors: “If an election had been held yesterday, which party would you have voted for?” The following table (compares the answers from intending voters with find ings of other Herald-NRB polls and the results of the 1972 General Election:

1 Sep. 75 July Mav Mar. Nov. Sept. May Nov. 73 Mav Nov 75 75 75 74 74 73 72 Labour 39 40 43 42 44 50 44 47 51 46 . National 51 46 46 44 40 44 44 39 42 Socred s 5 5 6 7 6 6 5 7 ' Values 4 4 6 6 4 4 >3 )5 2 All others — — — — 1 1 1 ) ) 1