ELECTION SPEECHES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 1, 27 September 1943, Page 7

ELECTION SPEECHES

Candidates Face The Crowd BANTER, BOOS, CHEERS Scene In Wellington (Despite the drizzling rain, it was a good-humoured crowd which learnt the election -results in Wellington’s streets on Saturday night. There were inevitable displays of ■partisanship. - but they were mild and unexciting. The crowd did, however, show antipathy to any tendencies on the part -of candidates to continue play with the political ball after the whistle had blown. _ They had had enough of election orations for another three years. - “I thank the electors of Wellington Central for their continued confidence in me and for the splendid voting majority considering -the circumstances of the case,” said the (Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser. “I regret that I was unable to be more in my constituency during -the contest, but the people who have voted for me for years remained loyal and voted me a substantial majority. I thank my committee most cordially.” He added that there -was a doubt at that stage whether the Labour -Government .Would be defeated or not, but whether in or out, Labour would carry out its full share of responsibility and work for the country.: He called for cheers for the Labour Gov-' ernment and the (benefits it had given the country. : Mr. W. Appleton, (National, runnerup- to Mr. Fraser, complimented the Prime Minister, and said it had been, a good hard go. He thought the voting in. the election disclosed apathy on the part of the. public. Mr. Fraser, he. commented, had received fewer votes this 'time than the speaker got at the last election. Though he had been defeated, said Mr. Appleton, he had not been disgraced; and he - was of the opinion that the public generally did not endorse the Labour policy. nor did they endorse that of the Independents. He thanked his committee and supporters, and called for cheers for Mr. Fraser.

(Boos and cheers greeted Mr. C. G. Scrimgeour (Independent), Wellington, Central. He said he wished the electors had been as courageous as the -publicstanding out in the rain that night. One r , of the alarming features of the election' had been the number of people who did' not vote —the large number -who had not 1 ;; exercised the privilege of democracy. In ■ the fight for Wellington Central he had been given a hit on the jaw, but He could, take it. The fight-for . the progressive/, forces of the Labour movement must ,go . on, and another alarming feature of the election was that some of the most pro- . gressive forces for Labour had been de-j . feated. He was esceedipgly sorry about that, and hoped that next time they would i j come out on top. He called’ for cheers' for the Labour movement in New Zea-; : land—■particularly progressive Laboiiy I Mr. W. J. Hyde, Independent, W el- J>; lington Central, said he expected ten times as many votes next time. New National M.P. ■ J

Mr, C ; M. Bowden, the newly-electe. . - National M.P. for Wellington West, congratulated his opponents on the spirit in ■" which the election campaign had been conducted. He thanked all who had supported him and said he trusted that he would represent the whole of the electorate in Parliament. Mrs. C. Stewart, the defeated Labour member for Wellington West, congratulated the successful candidate, and said , the contest had been clean. - ' She wished Mr. Bowden success during his term of . ofiice. ■ • Mr. C. H. Chapman, who"held Wei- > lington North as a Labour constituency, returned 'tbanks to those who had sup- ; ported him, describing his committee as most enthusiastic and confident right through. vt. Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, defeated' National / candidate for Wellington North, called for cheers for Chapman, and said . ; he -was pleased that he had not received the support of those people who were . r making- such a noise among ihe crowd below him. He said that, those electors ; who had not supported him. this time might have to take a licking next time. Cheers and cries of “Come on. Horace.” greeted Mr. H. E. Herring, Democratic Labour candidate for Wellington Norta, who began to speak of the policy of his party. . He said that if .the electors did not appreciate that policy, 'it was their loss, and not his. . He was.suprised at the smallness of his vote, knew he was a follower of L A. Lee. H • congratulated his opponents on the wa> in which they had fought the <l e 4D°«> and thanked those electors who had loteci for him. .. .

Wellington East. Mr. R. -Semple, Labour, Y elhngton East, who retained the labour seat there, said it was his privilege to thunk those who had supported him. He would continue to do his best for them in carrying on the good work for the country Mr. L. T. Jacobsen, National. Wellington East, said they had put up a ' cry good fight and would come back again to get the seat for the National I arty. Mr A. C. Barrington, Christian I acifist candidate to Wellington East, was counted out when he began to expound a philosophy on warfare. A voice: The election is over. “I am not ashamed to .have stood lor ■brotherhood and freedom in a world which is destroying itself- by war, he Sa Majdr Bishop, Democratic Labour. Wellington East, thanked' his committee and his supporters. He-said be owed no apologv for addressing the electors. Mr. R- McKeen, re-elected as Labour member for Wellington South, expressed his thanks to the electors for extending their continued confidence. Hi-him. He would continue to carry out his duties in Parliament on . their behalf and . would never let them down. He thanked his.com-mittee-and supporters, saying his majority was due to their efforts, and he congratu- . luted his opponents on the fight they had - PU Mr. P E. R. Toop, National. Wellington South, said it had been a clean fight. The National Party, he commented, was well up this time and would go higher on the P °Mr. C. Teecc. Democratic Labour, Wellington South, thanked his committee and supporters, and said he thought he was entitled to a better result. He would still have his job in the army to. go back to next week, and he would continue to fight on in that job. He stilt believed that the Democratic Labour Party s policy was the best, and he had every confidence in Sir. J A. Lee. (Boos and applause.) Sir. I. Sladdison. Independent, M elliugton South, said he. had got a thrashing and had to take it. He thanked those who had helped him. Promises made by his opponents to the electors were possible but would be difficult of fulfilment. Sir. L. Frame, Democratic Labour, Wellington Suburbs, congratulated Mr. Combs 011 his. success-and. Sir. Veitch on his good effort. He said the voters had shown that democracy would continue to determine who would be the peoples representatives. . . r Mr. N. Croft, National candidate for Hutt, said he would return to the election ring in three years’ time with added experience in consequence of this cam; paign. He regarded Sir.' Nash as a goon . man. for the district, and said he liked the wav Sir. Nash had conducted his campaign. ‘but: he could not say the same for his other opponents. . “I am otlly a toiler—l am a waterside . worker,” said Sir. P. Connors, Democratic Labour, Hutt. “I have enjoyed being in the fight and I congratulate Sir. Nash on his splendid victory. I have run last, but I have run last before. I have been in the loser’s corner more than ouce, and I don’t mind it in a good cause.” He expressed regret that Flying Officer Drum; goole. who carried out the “dive-bombing stunt” in Auckland, had not been elected. Sir. J. Hogan, Independent candidate to Hutt. said, he was well pleased that some 3500 electors had voted that day for principles rather than for party, more especially since this was the highest vote, accorded to any candidate opposing the two main parties in the whole of New' Zealand, and it was recorded against' the Slinister of Finance and to Washiston.