THE PUBLIC VOICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 116, 19 May 1941, Page 5

THE PUBLIC VOICE

WAR EFFORT FIRST

MR. HOLLAND'S COMMENT

(P.A.)

CHRISTCHURCH, May 18,

"The municipal election results tell their own story," said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland). "The nation-wide landslide against Labour candidates is most significant, especially following the recent Waipawa byelection, when the National Party quadrupled its majority.

"In my opinion, the results can be interpreted as a demonstration of the public's determination not to have the war effort activities interfered with by less important subjects," Mr. Holland said.

"The rejection of the Labour candidates is the public's method of protesting against the rapidly-growing extent of trades' hall domination in both national and municipal politics. The fact that the landslide is so nationwide shows that public feeling is uniform all over the" Dominion, for the issues were different in the various centres."

It was obvious from the voting that many thousands of erstwhile Labour supporters had reversed their votes. If, as has often been contended, municipal elections held the same year as Parliamentary elections should be regarded as a barometer of public opinion, National Party r supporters would examine the results with unusual interest in • view of the Parliamentary elections within six months.