TOMORROW'S POLL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 122, 25 May 1945, Page 6

TOMORROW'S POLL

HAMILTON CONTEST

INTEREST IN RESULT Tomorrow is polling day in the Hamilton by-election, which arises from the death of Mr. Frank Findlay, Nationalist member, who was elected at the General Election in September, 1943. According to reports received in Wellington, the contest has, aroused the keenest interest in the electorate, and it may well be that the poll will be heavier than is usual for a by-election. It is expected that the result of the voting will be known in Wellington by 9 o'clock tomorrow night. There are four candidates—Mrs. Grace Hilda Ross (National), Messrs. C. A. Barrell (Labour), J. A. • Lee (Democratic Labour), and D. J. B. Seymour (Independent). Messrs. Lee and Barrell are well known in politics. Both were defeated at the last General Election, Mr. Lee going down to Mr. F. Hackett (Labour) in Grey Lynn and Mr. Barrel! to Mr. Findlay in Hamilton. Mrs. Ross has been prominently associated with local body and social work in Hamilton for a number of years, a sphere in which Mr. Findlay was active before he stood for Parliament. Mr. Seymour is a barrister and solicitor practising in Hamilton, and will be known to a number of Wellington returned men of the war of 1914-18 as general secretary of the N.Z.R.S.A. from 1917 to 1920. The vote polled by Mr. Findlay at the General Election was considered very largely a tribute to his personal standing in the town. His winning margin from Mr. Barrell, who had held the seat for eight years, was 454 votes in a four-cornered contest. The voting was:—Mr. Findlay 7660, Mr. Barrell 7206, Mr. A. E. Allen (Democratic Soldier Labour) 885, and Mr. W. H. Thompson (Real Democracy Movement) 193. In his campaigning Mr. Barrell has had the assistance of the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Nash), the Minister of Works (Mr. Semple), the Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr. Skinner), and the Minister of Health (Mr. Nordmeyer), of two Parliamentary' Under-Secre-taries, Messrs. J. Thorn and A. G. Osborne, of Mr. R. Coulter, M.P. for Raglan, and of members of the Communist Party. Prominent members of the Opposition, including the Acting Leader (Mr., W. J. Poison), have been sponsoring the cause of Mrs. Ross, who has also been supported by Mrs. Poison, formerly M.P. for Mid-Canterbury. Mrs. Lee has been active in assisting her husband. • ; A good deal of interest will be taken in the voting, not only in Hamilton but throughout New Zealand. The principal contestants are generally regarded as being Mrs. Ross and Mr. Barrell. Since the war began there have been 14 deaths of sitting members of the House of Representatives, five of them being on active service. By-elections to fill three of the vacancies were cancelled by an Act passed in 1943 because of the approach of the General Election in that year.