GENERAL ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10722, 20 October 1928, Page 6

GENERAL ELECTION.

BAY OF PLENTY SEAT

HON. K.' S.' WILT/TAMS TO START CAMPAIGN

DANGER LIES IN APATHY OF ELECTORS

Interesting views on various political and other questions were given in' an interview yesterday by the Hofi. K, S. Williams, Minister for Public Works. Mr Williams was en route, to the East Coast, vvhero he will' begin his electoral campaign. Oh his way to Gisborne, the Minister made, an inspection of the railway works between Napier and Wairoa, expressingsatisfaction a. ith tfe progress* made. From Wairoa he proceeded to Ohuka' and Ardkeen .settlements, meeting the settlers there, arid campion to Gisborne, 'via. Hangaroa where he inspected work on the main highways and was also met by settlers of the. district who placed various matters before him. The Mipistor - proceeded up.-the Coast yesterday morning. Although Mr Williams has wlmt is considered one of the safest seats in the Dominion, he does not believe in leaving >his electorate to take care oi himself and will shortly commence a- series of addresses in his widelyscattered district. . ‘‘There is ..one. disadvantage in having , what is regarded as a safe scat”, the Minister remarked. “If all my supporters get the idea that, the seat is safe and think it is not necessary for them to vote, they may get a surprise. That is another difficulty of the electorate'. Many ps-ople. have to go a long way to. record their votes, and if they come to the conclusion that their votes are not-necessary, the seat may not,’.he quite such a safe one as they think. I am not in the least afraid of being voted out;-the only possibledanger is the apathy of the electors.”. .

ROLLS CLOSED

NOMINATIONS CLOSE ON .. OCTOBER '29

MAORI . ELECTIONS ON NOT. 13

•Nominations for the General Elections will colso at noon on Monday, October 29, 16 days before the taking of the polls. 'The, electoral rolls closed at 6 p.m. yesterday. The Maori elections will, be held on November-13, the day prior to the general election , for the European seat?;, but nominations will close, on the' same dqte as for the European candidates: Prior fo the amendment of the Electoral Act, in 1927. writs for the general a .election were returnable within 23 days, and provision was zhade for the clohing of nomiations ten' da vs before the taking of the polls. The law now is, however, that the. writ -is returnable within 40 days, and that it shall prescribe the date on which nominations will close. The alteration- to the law giyes the Electoral Departme'nt a slightly longer period for the sprinting of ballot papers, and the finalising of the necessary arrangements for the holding of the election. There are four Maori electoral districts. The election differs from the Enronean noil. No rolls are used, and the Maori voters simply- enter the booths one at a time and declare before the deputy-returning officer, the candidate for whom, they wish to vote. The writ- for the Maori election is returnable on December 4. LABOR MEETTNO AT TOKOMARU BAY. * to the Times.l TOKOMARU BAY. Oct. 18. Last evening Mr. Moncur, Labor candidate for the Bay of Plenty seat, held a meeting in the Te Puka Hall. Mr. IV. Oates, senr., chairman of the meeting, introduced the speaker. Tt is the first time in the history of this part of the Coast that Labor has contested for the Bay of Plenty seat. Mr. Moncur proved himself a most fluent speaker, and gave a very interesting address, mainly on the present financial state of the country. At the conclusion of the meeting some questions were put to the candidate. A heartv vote of thinks was accorded Mr. Moncur. EGMONT SEAT »Presa Association.> NEW PLYMOUTH, Oct 19. Mr O. E. Bellringer, M.P., opened his campaign last night, addressing a good meeting and receiving a vote of thanks and confidence. '•He -declared himself to bo a wholehearted supporter of Mr Coates, though, he opposed .the-.wheat duty and the Licensing Bill. MCTUEKA SEAT. . (Press Association.) NELSON, Oct. 19. ■MrG. C. Black, United Party candidate-for the Motueka seat, opened his' campaign before a crowded gathering in the Anglican schoolroom at Motueka. He said representative Government in New Zealand at present was the sheerest mockery', and Order-m-Councij had invaded private enterprise to stifle individual effort. The Government’s treatment of the returned soldiers was strongly condemned. He asked the electors to vote the United Party to the Treasury benches to re-write the laws in. a spirit of liberalism. V otes of thanks and confidence, were carried by acclamation. DULLER SEAT. . (Fresß Association.) : WESTPORT, Oct. 19. . Mr. D. M. Robertson, Reform candidate,for the Duller, seat, who is opposing Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of rlie Opposition, opened his campaign in the-Town. Hall this evening .'before a : crowded gathering, and got a very attentive hearing. He.spoke generally in support- of the. Reform Party’s policy and also dealt with the needs of the West (.Mast: and railway connections of the South Island. At the conclusion of his address the candidate was accorded a hearty rote of thanks. MR. HOLLAND REPLIES TO MR ,v, COATES. . •. ,(Pre.es Association.) - i: ■ , DUNEDIN, Oct, 19. •Before a crowded audience, which loudly cheered hint when he appeared. Mr. 11. E. Holland, Leader of the Labor Party, addressed the Dunedin electors to-night. A large portion of his speech consisted .of a reply ,to the Prime Minister. One found on 'a study of Mr. Chafes’ speech, he said, fuat .most of the promises which he had made in 1925 remained unfulfilled, notwithstanding the fact that he had such a large majority. Mr. Holland- accused The Government of suppressing figures dealing V»th. its land policy; -as well as with the total in regard" mortgages and the Post Office Savings Bank., The, speaker made a vigorous attack on the Prime Minister with regard I to unemployment, stating-, that it'was the duty of the .Government to provide for every .man willing to work. He enumerated' Lahor’s charges against the Government and accused it of running Parliament on unsystematic and nhbusiness 1 ike lie-s* . 1 "