OAMRU ELECTION

Evening Star, Issue 18258, 24 April 1923, Page 12

OAMRU ELECTION

OPPOSITION TO MR LEE. PARTY TACTICS. [Special to the ‘Stae.’] OAMARU, April 23. During the week-end the political situation was much quieter, although the more active partisans of each party are still working hard. Both sides have their forces well organised, and the committees meet daily. Mr Macpherson’s chances on Tuesday week are still considered very good, but not more than 200 votes are likely to separate the parties. The town was agog with excitement on Saturday afternoon, when it was known that Mr Howard Elliott had arrived by the afternoon train ; hut ho motored to M’aimate, where he delivered an address, principally attacking private schools. As the electorate is so large, both candidates and Mr Massey are giving two, three, and four addresses daily. Mr Massey is receiving a good hearing, but Mr Lee is finding a lot of opposition, oven in Reform strongholds. At every meeting Mr Macpherson has been exhibiting copies of the disputed votes, and at the Windsor meeting Mr W. G. Grave, partner of Mr Lee, challenged the correctness of the votes. When the point was illustrated Mr Grave admitted to the large audience that the copies were in every way correct. At Mr Massey’s meeting at Pukcuri on Saturday a questioner asked Mr Lee why he had no copies of the votes. Mr Lee’s reply was “ You shut up.” “ Shut up 1” Truly a nice way to catch votes.