"AN EYE-OPENER"

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 140, 14 June 1924, Page 8

"AN EYE-OPENER"

SUPPORT FOR LIBERAL CAUSE

MR, T. M. WILFORD'S TOUR.

"It has been an eye-opener and a daily surprise to me," declared the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. T. M. Wiltord, this morning, in summarising the impressions of the tour of the Northern districts, from which he returned yesterday. Mr. Wilford said he had had no difficulty in securing candidates in tile cause of Liberalism for the next election. In some electorates as many as four gentlemen were offering themselves ■ and it was being left to the local executive committees to make the selections. Everywhere he had had enthusiastic demonstrations of the support behind his party.

Never before, he declared, had he experienced anything like the receptions he had in and around Auckland. In every Reform constituency in which he spoke, either votes of confidence in his party, or of no-confidence in the Reform Administration, were passed. In some instances he had been accorded votes of confidence in face of prepared R«form opposition, as, for instance, in the Prime Minister's stronghold at Pukekohe. There the mover of an amendment of no-confidence in the Liberal Party and of confidence in the Reform Government read his proposal from a typewritten document, which was certainly prepared beforehand, and the meeting, consisting of between 4CO and 500 people, defeated the motion by three to one. ';In my thirty-two years of political life," said Mr. .Wilford, "I •have never been in a scene of such enthusiasm as occurred after the meeting. .At Thames, a Reform constituency! where no had a full hall, on a show of hands in favour of our party, eight hands went up in support of Reform and against our resolution of no-confidence in that party. Again, in Hamilton, another Reform constituency, an overwhelming majority declared for the Liberal Party.. It had been decided to call "Ipnly for a vote of thanks at that meeting, but an enthusiastic supporter mov-' ed an amendment of confidence, which swept the meeting." All along the route o£ his tour he had been received enthusiastically by prominent business men and farmers, who wished him well in liis campaign. In Auckland city, where Labour was strongly represented in the House, he had a meeting of between 2000 and 3000 people, and after a big battle against considerable opposition, a vote of'thanks and confidence in the Liberal Party was carried with cheers. Dr. T. W. Leys declared that the central organisation in Auckland was never stronger in the time of Mr. Seddon. Mr. Wilford said he had not found Labour strong in the country districts, but in the main centres they certainly possessed strength, notably, in Auckland city, where several seats were held at present by Labour men, but all these seats would be hotly contested, and he had candidates ready. The Loader of the Opposition will leave on Monday on his Southern tour, which he will start in the Waitaki electorate.