NEARING THE END.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10908, 28 May 1929, Page 5

NEARING THE END.

BRITISH ELECTION CAMPAIGN’ DRAWS NEAR CLOSE

LEADERS REST DURING WEEK-

END

WOMEN’S VOTE INTRODUCES ELEMENT OE DOUBT

Unitsd Preßa Asßn. by El. Tel. Copyright

(Australian Press Association.;

LONDON, May 26. The leaders ol the- three political parties, who spent last week addressing supporters at dozens of meetings m different parts of tiie country, have been taking a rest during ■the week-end. The campaign is dexnljcd as the best behaVed within living memory. There have been few instances of rancour, and none of violence, while good tempered heckling at some of the meetings has been the nearest approach to the l'owdiness so common in contests of the past. Since 1909 the electorate has grown from under 7,090',000 to 28,000,000; and there are 1729 candidates aspiring jo Ml 015 seats. With so many tmee-cornored contests—there are only about 100 constituencies with only two candidates—and with about 6,000,000 new voters oil the. register, 5,000,000 of these being women, fresh elements of doubt are introduced as to Thursday’s verdict. The increase in the electorate has made it impossible for candidates to get mto personal contact with more than a proportion of constituents, but the microphone Inis this fime proved an all-import-ant factor, and wireless broadcast speeches ha Vy enabled all who wished to dw so to hear carefully prepared statements from party leaders. MR BALDWIN’S OPTIMISM Mr. Baldwin, who is resting at Chequers, interviewed, said his strongest impression from the tour was that the- nation is in earnest over the election. “I am confident that wo shall win with such a majority as will enable us to carry on our work for the recovery of prosperity. and the betterment of social conditions, against the joint 'Labor and Liberal opposition. The feeling has taken root m this light that a vote for the Liberals can only tend to produce a position of stalemate.; and it is recognised that nothing eoukl be more disastrous to the present trade revival than experiments with socialism, or the uncertainty arising from a deadlock, with another election inevitable in . consequence. People ar t . in a collective mood, and , want facts, not rhetoric. Again and again I have found the same sequence ol though l .: That the Labor Party with its socialistic schemes, its frank promise ol meroaesd taxation, is a menace to the revival of trade; that the Liberal road scheme is an electioneering ruse and not a. practical proposal; and. lastly, that the Liberals will put the socialists in power if they have a chance.” LIVELY MEETINGS LORD BIRKENHEAD REPLIES TO PENSION SNEERS LONDON. May 20. Though Mr. Winston Churchill declares this as tho dullest election campaign, one remembers that Lord Birkenhead Air L. S. Aniery, and Sir William Joynsoii-Hicks had lively passages with interruptions. I Lord Birkenhead threatened personally to throw , interrupters downstairs.

Replying to a sneer about Jim £SOOO pension, ho said; “If 1 give up £30,000 a. year and accept office, should not I ho entitled to a pension f As,"lar as j know l am the only person in the Empire proposing to give up his pension within three month's.”

Air A men 's meeting was abandoned owing to uproar by anti-vivi-section is ts. Some of -Sir William JoynsnnHieks’ electors expressed dissatisfaction with bis refusal to pledge support for an anti-stag-hunting bill.

GOVERNMENT POLICY OF DOMINION PREFERENCE

WILL im RLifTi I MATED BY LABOR ITES .MI!, AMERY’S APPEAL United Press Assn, by EL Tel. Copyrijrlit ■AUBLraliua Press Association > LONDON, May 20. .Mr L. S. Amery. m a speech at Rrierley Hill, stated that by giving preferences and'" encouraging trade the Goveniment Jiad shown that it under, I stood tho Dominions’ viewpoint, and was prepared to co-oper-ate with them. Was it not hotter to allow the Government to continue this good work than, to call in people like Mr Philip Snowden, who wished to preferences, tear them up, and throw them in the faces of Britain’s best customers? THE FINANCIAL ASPECT STOCK EXCHA NG E 1) LA I, IN G S RESTRICTED. AWAIT RESULTS OF CONSLEYA- ' TIVE MAJORITY. United Press Assn by El. Tel. Copyright (Australian Association.) (Received Mav 27, 9.10 p.mA LONDON, May 26. The Morning Post’s financial writer says: “There is little doubt that, if the Conservatives obtain a working majority, very large .sums will be released, for investment which are held in suspense pending the result of the election. A certain amount of - the money kept in ,thc United States will also return to London. Liberal and Labor leaders are pledged to policies inimical to sound finance. Even if the country is jn robust financial health, there will be cause for fear if these policies are carried into effect, hence it is not surprising that the Stock Exchange dealings this week have been restricted.