N.Z. ELECTIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 November 1931, Page 3

N.Z. ELECTIONS

TIMARU AND TEMUKA [P£B PBicSS ASSOCIATION-.] TIMARU, November 9. The Executive of the Reform Party and the Executive of the United Party have failed to agree on the Coalition candidate for Timaru. Therefore the Reform Party Executive to-niglit decided to support the candidature of Mr. H, N. Armstrong, who will contest the Timaru seat as the Reform Coalitionist.

Mr. T. H. Langford, candidate for the Temuka seat, addressed the electors to-night. He declared that he always had been a Liberal, and said he would always remain one. Therefore he had decided to stand as an Independent on this occasion. He was opposed to the Coalition. He favoured provision being made for the unemployed. The greater part of Mr. Langford’s address •was devoted to the financial situation. A vote of thanks to the candidate was carried.

MR. HOLLAND AT WANGANUI WANGANUI, November 9. The Wanganui Opera House was crowded to-night when the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. H. E. Holland, expounded the Labour Party’s political platform. The speaker reiterated the main points which he made in his policy speech at the Wellington Town Hall last week. Mr. Holland refuted the assertion that the Coalition in the House was a statesmanlike move. He held that the Coalition was brought about purely to prevent Labour from gaining office, and also to prevent the United Party committing “hara-kiri.” Mr. Holland said that’ a Labour Government would form a State Bank. It would pay subsidies on all fertilisers for the farmers. It would also hold an investigation with a view to the establishing of some means of guaranteeing the farmer a price for his produce for a period of at least five years. The Labour Party would oppose the introduction of new shipping lines into New Zealand waters. The only customs taxation thdt the' Labour advocated was that which protected a local industry. They objected to the customs taxation that was used for revenue purposes. A vote of confidence in the Labour Party was passed by the meeting.

HAMILTON HAMILTON, November 9. Mr. S. C. G. Lye, who was selected as the United Party candidate for Hamilton, has notified the committtee that he will not contest the seat, realising that in the interests of the country there should be no contest between the Reform and United parties. “ BAY OF PLENTY OPOTIKI, November 9. Mr. J. T. Merry, United candidate for the Bay of Plenty, has acceded to the Prime Minister’s request to place country before party and withdraw from the contest PAHIATUA. DANNEVIRKE, November 10. A meeting of the combined Reform Committees in the Pahiatua electorate decided to carry out the wishes of Mr Coates and support the Coalition Government by withdrawing, with his consent, the official Reform candidate, Mr Marcus Smith, but regretting that national emergency necessitated this course of action. GREY LYNN. AUCKLAND, November 10. Mr J. A. Lee, official Labour candidate for Grej’ Lynn, addressed the electors last night. He advocated the creation of internal credit to put the unemployed back into useful work, and favoured the establishment of a central reserve bank. If the Government would not consider a sane scheme of financial reorganisation, it should re-value State Advances houses. He alleged that the Government showed a taxation bias against the workers, and he condemned the armament expenditure. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed.

WAITEMATA. , Mr W. B. Darlow opened the campaign for Waitemata as a straight-out Independent. He advocated the revision of the wheat duties to assist poultry farmers, support for sound NeW Zealand industries, minting of silver and copper coinage in the Dominion,and a reduction of the number of Parliamentarians. He received a vote of thanks. AUCKLAND WEST. [special to "star.”] AUCKLAND, November 10. No change has taken place in the position .of the official Coalition candidate to contest Auckland West. Mr J. A. C. Allum’s committee is acting upon its previously expressed understanding that Mr Allum has a clear direction to stand as the official Coalition candidate, and is proceeding with his campaign. The campaign on behalf of Mr H. R. MacKenzie (United) is also being prosecuted by Mr MacKenzie’s supporters. A meeting of Mr Allum’s committee was held, last evening, several prominent inembers of the Reform Party being present.

MR. J. O’BRIEN Mr. J. O’Brien who arrived at Otira this afternoon, will there commence his tour of the Westland district in connection with his candidature at the general election. Mr. O’Brien will tomorrow address the electors of Aratika at 6.45 p.m., and those of Kokiri at 8.15 p.m.

‘,‘The day you embark upon political action will sound the death-kriell of your association,” said Mr. W. P. Aldridge, chief postmaster at Timaru, at the annual reunion of the South Canterbury branch of the Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association. “I was a member of the association, but, alorig with many other officers, I left when the members decided to affiliate with the Alliance of Labour. If you want to ruin yoar association, go in for politics, but do not take this step if you wish to retain that good feeling and high regard in which you are held by the public. Everyone has his vote, but as soon as you ally yourselves with politicians and parties, you are doomed. We are only a small portion of this community, and we would have [the people against the department.”