INVERCARGILL SEAT

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 37, 12 August 1930, Page 10

INVERCARGILL SEAT

POLLING TO-MORROW

CANDIDATES' PROSPECTS

(By Telegraph.) (Specir to "The Evening Post.") INVERCARGILL, This Day. With the exception of the final rallies which both candidates arc holding to-night, the Invoreargill by-elec-tion campaign has practically eloscd, and the stage is all set in preparation for an anticipated heavy poll on Wednesday. On the eve of the by-election the prospects appeared to have altered considerably. A remarkable feature of the last few days has been the sharp rise in th© stocks of the Reform candidate. Earlier in the campaign the position from the Reform standpoint was somewhat forlorn, but it has- become increasingly, evident that Mr. Hargest has gained ground rapidly. His pleasing personality and'his ability in dealing with all phases of political problems have won him many now supporters; Reformers profess to be sanguine of the- final result. They claim now that a good proportion of .Labour votes will be cast in the Reform interest, as the Government's taxation proposals have caused many workers to lose confidence in the present Adi ministration.

The United Party is depending on party and Labour support, with the addition of a few Reform votes which it is hoped have been won over. Reform supporters, therefore, feel that they have grounds for optimism, as they maintain that they have ample evidence that a considerable number of Liberal supporters over a long period will vote for Mr. Hargest, who had two crowded and enthusiastic meetings yesterday. In the afternoon he addressed four hundred ladies, who received the candidate most favourably, and expressed confidence in him. His evening address was also most successful. Mr. Ward contented himself with adj dressing a, meeting of railway employices, which,, although small in numbers, was very favourable. 1 GRANTS CUT OUT. i Addressing a meeting of ladies, Mr. Hargest announced that this year the ! Government was cutting out the following grants:— Amateur Swimming Association, £350. Royal Life-saving Society, £150. . St. John Ambulance, £-120. The Government was also reducing the charitable aid grant b.y £37,457, the Karitane- Hospital grant by £1750, and the Plunket Society Vote by £3565. The candidate said that for tho last financial year ■ travelling allowances and expenses of Ministers and private secretaries was £.16,705, against £9453 for the last year of the Reform Government. For tl.e- last four years Reform was in office the allowances and expense averaged only £8827. As instancing tho great improvement iv Public Works camps effected by Mr. Coates, Mr. Hargest quoted figures for tho Parnell by-election. For the Public Works employees there were two polling booths, in which they recorded their votes. In No. 1 booth the voting was: United 2, Labour 5, Ref-oi'm 12. In No. 2 booth: United 41, Labour 56, Reform 95. The totals were: United 43, Labour 61, Reform 107.