IN CHRISTCHURCH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1938, Page 15

IN CHRISTCHURCH

QUIET MEETINGS

CHRISTCHURCH, September 28,

■' Much more is being done under the surface in the election campaign than out. in the open. National organisation is thorough. A close National canvass is being made of all electorates.

It is likely that a strong woman's vote will be cast, leaning towards Nationalism because of the rising cost of living, which only a housewife can measure accurately. In that connection the issue of rate notices throughout the city is likely to make its influence felt. Rates have gone up rapidly,- and the new tramway rate, which came in only with the accession of a Labour Tramway Board, has risen .sharply this year, and shows no sign of going down. On the contrary, for the past four weeks the deficiency is £1840, and this is £868 more than last year's deficiency for the same month.

The meetings of candidates have been apathetic rather than otherwise. Mr. McCombs, in his opening speech at Lyttelton, could not sway his audience at all, but it is unlikely that anybody dealing in figures chiefly could do that.

The prediction that Mr. W. B. Bray, the Independent, candidate for Lyttelton, would obtain few votes was more than confirmed by his opening meeting, which consisted of a mere handful of people of whom half walked out.

Another unexpectedly" quiet meeting was held by Mr. G. C. Warren, the National candidate for Kaiapoi. He expected some rowdyism at Marshland for his opening speech, but everything went smoothly and his manner heartened his friends. To the two or three Labour questions he indicated that in respect to seasonal workers the National Party favoured the idea of small holdings. One important statement he made was that his party, if wage-cutting seemed necessary, would go to the country rather than impose cuts.

An exception to the general rule was the opening address of Mr. K. W. Armour, the National candidate., who is standing against the Hon. H. T. Armstrong. Opening in a Labour hotbed- in Sydenham he faced a barrage of sound, but just cheerfully waited to get in a word now and then.

. The Hon. Adam Hamilton's broadcast address in the St. James Theatre was extremely encouraging to his followers. He started a little uneasily, but warmed up splendidly, and at the finish had his heart in his message.

A new party technique is developing with broadcast speeches. It is those nearest the microphone who are heard over the air, and in this case the Nationalists had the strategic points. It was commonly believed that Labour intended to howl Mr. Hamilton down, and there was evidence of this with an attempted count out from the back seats, but whenever the unruly crowd burst into a roar there was a deafening round of applause nearer the microphone. The meeting was a great success from the National point of view, for it was estimated that two-thirds of those present were for Mr. Hamilton. In the cities, however, speculations on points like this are not very profitable.

The Rev. Alan Brash, M.A., B.D. (Edin.), who has been in Edinburgh for three years and has accepted a call to St. Andrew's Church, Wanganui, is a passenger by the Remuera, which is due at Wellington tomorrow. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs.' T, C. Brash, of Wellington, and in Edinburgh won distinction in theology. While completing his studies he was occupying the position of assistant minister at Lockhart Memorial Church, Edinburgh,