ON THE WANE?

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 122, 19 November 1940, Page 8

ON THE WANE?

LABOUR POPULARITY

WAIPAWA'S VOTE

NATIONAL MAJORITY

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the "Evening Post.")

HASTINGS, This Day,

To have increased the National Party majority by nearly 400 per cent, in a poll of some 2000 fewer votes is regarded in political circles in the Hawke's Bay Province as an excellent achievement by Mr. C. G. E. Harker, who won the Waipawa by-election on Saturday. National Party supporters view it as an indication that the popularity of the Government is destined for eclipse.

Labour supporters, while not admitting such a significance in the result, do not, offer excuses for the defeat. ■ Mr. H. M. Christie, the Labour candidate, when returning thanks, said: "The result was not altogether unexpected. In wartime a Government finds that it has to introduce legislation and measures not always popular." Both in the towns and in the country the Labour vote showed a substanl tial decline and only at six booths was Mr. Christie able to show a lead. In Waipukurau, formerly a stronghold, he had a majority of only 25, and in Waipawa the former Labour majority became a minority. Havelock North also showed a marked decline in the Labour vote. Taken right through, however, there was ample evidence that the Labour election machine functioned actively and that votes were not lost through neglect Polling booths, situated in the vicinity of the freezing works at Tomoana and Whakatu and that at the sawmilling centre- at Wakarara were among the few which gave majorities for Mr. Christie, but it wa s noticeable that the margin of difference was not as great as in 1938. NOT WAITING FOR MR. LEE. Commenting on the result of the election, the "Herald-Tribune" says that to suggest that any considerable proportion of those not voting were Labour rebels waiting for a chance to 'vote for Mr. J. A. Lee, would be foolish. So far as could be learned Waipawa does not appear on Mr. Lee's list of branches and also such supporters as Mr. Lee had in Waipawa were unlikely to refrain from voting. "One subject Mr. Christie kept discreetly in the background during the recent i campaign," says the "Herald-Tribune," j j "and that is what Mr. Lee and other j i propagandists describe as 'the money j system.' Mr. Christie's views on this ! were freely expressed on previous occasions and supporters of Mr. Lee know ! them well enough to count Mr. Christie as worthy of their vote."