NATIONAL PARTY

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 May 1946, Page 10

NATIONAL PARTY

MR. HOLLAND EXPRESSES OPTIMISM THE NEW ELECTORATES (P.A.). WELLINGTON, May 29. “I hope at the end of the caucus to be able to make a comprehensive statement of interest to the public,” said Mr. S. G. Holland (Leader of the Opposition), prior to opening a threeday gathering of the Nationalist members of the House to-day, which was preceded by a meeting of the Party’s policy committee. Mr. Holland said a large number of remits from Party branches were considered. These would be further considered by the caucus. The policy on which they would fight the general election would also be a subject of caucus deliberation.

Asked how he viewed the coming election, Mr. Holland said the caucus was meeting in an atmosphere of high optimism. He said: “It is true to say that our membership in a great many cases is already double that of 1943.” He said the Government confidently expected that the Election Amendment Act would give it another 10 seats. But since the- preliminary announcement of the new electoral boundaries a complete change had come over the scene. Reorganisation of boundaries had not had the happy results that the Labour Party expected. Many seats expected to be made safe for Labour were now strong prospects for the Opposition.

“It is impossible at this stage to forecast with any accuracy the results of the coming election,” said Mr. Holland. “One thing is certain beyond a doubt, and that is that Apposition representation of larger towns and cities in the next Parliament will be greatly increased. The spontaneous support our Party is getting, even in centres formerly regarded as Labour strongholds,— Wanganui, Greymouth and Tiroaru, for instance —is most heartening.”