Political

Cromwell Argus, Volume LXI, Issue 3160, 27 April 1931, Page 5

Political

Mr C. Todd, the Reform candidate for Ota go Central in . the forthcoming General Election, was in the electorate last week. Me was accompanied by Mr A. C. Laing (Reform Organiser), and Mr C P. 1 lainsworth, organiser in this electorate. Mr Hainsworth. it will be remembered, was manager of the recent Dunedin exhibition.

The party arrived in Cromwell on Wednesday morning and spent the day in the/ town and district. Here Mr Todd is very much at homo, having spent his early life at Bendigo and Cromwell. In the evening, by invitation, the candidate met a large gathering- of supporters in the Council Chambers, those present hejng representative of the town and district as far away as Queensberry. Mr C. C Sanders was elected chairman, and introduced Mr Todd, expressing the opinion that no letter representative could be found for the electorate.

M'' Todd, who was well received, spoke at some length explaining his candidature, and referred to his long association with this district, an association dating back as far as 1878, his father having been manager of the Bendigo mine from 18/Cj to 1884. While he was a Reform candidate, he was not what was commonly known as a, hard shell-back, and would support ally sane, humanitarian legislation. He was not asking the electors to put him into Parliament for anything he could get out of it. He considered ttiat with irrigation the country here could be very much more closely settled, and he had an intimate knowledge of the possibilities of the grea(, Hawea scheme. If elected, his best efforts would be forthcoming in' the direction of having the vast flats up the valley irrigated and settled as early as possible. He believed that with his intimate knowledge of the electorate he could give useful service for the benefit of the community. Mi* f-aijig, Provincial Organised. explained the usual procedure and duties of the committee, and Mr Hainsworth spoke briefly on Mr Todd's candidature. Mr Todd paid a tribute to the activities of the local press i\\ strenuously and fearlessly advocating the claims of the district in the direction of progress and development. A strong' and representative committee was eventually formed to advance Mr Todd's interests, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman, Mr Sanders. From Cromwell, Mr Todd and party went to Queenstown, and later visited the main centres in the Upper Clutha Valley. Their campaign is beingcontinued in the Maniototo district. The result of the visit could not be otherwise than encouraging to Mr Todd and his supporters.