THE ELECTORATES . . .

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34009, 25 November 1975, Page 16

THE ELECTORATES . . .

■I centres of Tokbra and i Kinleith and the power j generating areas of Atia- ’ muri and Wairakei. Taupo ! had favoured National lor I captured for Labour in i 1972 by Mr J. W. Ridley, t, aged >55, an engineer, with 1 a majority of 783. I His opponents are; Mr R. J, La Varis (National), an Auckland based | exporter; Mr J. G. Gram. I (Values), a school-teacher : aged 25; and Mrs D. M. I Gould (Social Credit), aged 47. In the closing stages of i the campaign, Mr Ridley has been hammering ; the electors in Tokoroa, Kinleith and Whakamaru, where his supporters have included the Minister of Labour (Mr Faulkner). When he visits the tour-ist-oriented Taupo area, he concentrates on the considerable work-force. Mr La Varis has tended to concrentrate on the ’ Taupo area, where he can . rely on the support of rhe large retired group. He works from a rented house, and has concen ! trated in his , local, 1 speeches on Labour's reputed shoreline plans, . which, he says, would take over most of the best trout-fishing, boating and residential land in this : aquatic playground. There is a sharp polarisation of opinion in the electorate, with Tokoroa ' favouring Labour. and Taupo township, National. It is admitted, however, that the farmers’ vote is important, and that in 1972 many farmers voted i Labour. Since then there ! has been a 20 per cent in- ' crease in the roll. Of the 3400 new voters, twothirds would be in the i Tokoroa neighbourhood. i A short visit can do no . more than establish the fact that both parties will have to work to achieve

of Rotorua (Mr R. Boord). His 1972 majority was only 786. There have been indications that many Maoris have chosen the general rather than the Eastern Maori roll this time in order to topple Mr Lapwood. There is no doubt that many Rotorua Maoris have chosen the general roil, but recent inquiries suggest there are other reasons for this. Rotorua Maoris consulted last week expressed dissatisfaction with the personal representation they have obtained from the sprawling Eastern Maori electorate. A surprising number of Maoris are turning up in the garishly-painted National Party office in Rotorua's main street. The National reply to ques tions about ’Maori allegiance is a coy: "We won’t know until alter the election, will we?” Labour does not have the answer either. The l abour candidate is Dr P. W. Tapsell, himself a Maori, an orthopaedic surgeon aged 44. Labour thought that his nomination would draw a solid Maori vote, but this may not be so. Tribalism is still quite important in the area, and Dr Tapsell has been described by local Maoris as “the wrong kind of Maori for Rotorua.” Genial Harry Lap wood, a former policeman, war-rant-officer in an Auckland battalion in the desert war and Italy, and later storekeeper, has seen it all before. He has weathered challenges by strong Labour Party men, including Sir Charles Bennett,. and his success is indicated by the fact that "they don't come back.” Dr Tapsell is a new candidate, but as deputy Mayor of Rotorua and a

7. Davey is described as "a former successful English businessman.’’ He has worked well in Parliament over the last three years, but as a back-bencher in a Government with a large majority, he has had few opportunities to distinguish himself. There are claims, which he denies, that he made promises in 1972 that he has not been able to keep. The surprising thing is that the National selection committee preferred a farm management consultant (Mr R. L. Bell) as candidate to Mrs Tombleson. There is quite a strong feeling in the district that National would have had a better chance of winning Gisborne back with Mrs Tombleson, who could command a warm vote of sympathy. But rhe committee thought otherwise. Mr Bell i- trying hard, and will certainly get support from the farming areas. In the city of Gisborne, however, he is not well-known — a fact he claims to have repaired by extensive doorknocking’and meetings. The main issue in Gisborne, however, may not be farm assistance. There is deep concern about job opportunity, and this has been backed up by a genuine fear of unemployment. Labour could be under attack because of the slow working of promised regional development. The feeling is one of apprehension tinged with disillusionment. This could help National and Mr Bell, who personally is quite an impressive figure. A swing against Labour, however slight, could turn Gisborne National again — and on 1972 figures Gisborne would be one of the. first three seats to go that way on election night.