RAGLAN BY-ELECTION

Grey River Argus, 29 January 1946, Page 3

RAGLAN BY-ELECTION

TO BE HELD ON MARCH 5. P.A. WELLINGTON, Jan. 28. Arrangements for the Raglan byelection were announced by the Act-ing-Prime Minister, Mr Nash, to-day. The writ for the election would be issued on Saturday next, February 2. Nominations would close on FebvuThe rolls will close on Saturday, the day of the Issue of the writ, at 6 p.m. The polling day will be Tuesday, March 5. LABOUR CANDIDATE. A returned serviceman with a distinguished record in the Royal New Zealand Air Force—Flight Lieutenant Alan C. Baxter, D.F.C., and Bar, Labour candidate for Raglan, has always been keenly interested in the Labour Movement and on his return from the war he at once renewed his association with the Party, believing that it was essential the _ Labour Government should be kept in powei to safeguard the principles for which he had fought. The citation from the British Air Ministry when he was awarded a bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross, this year, stated: “Flight-Lieutenant Baxter has proved himself to be an outstanding pilot and captain of an aircraft. At all times he has been keen to fly, despite all hazards. His great courage and unfailing devotion to duty have set an inspiring example to all squadron personnel. He has nearly completed his third tour of operations and has flown both as pilot and navigator.” Fie was awarded the D.F.C. for his participation in the combined operations at Dieppe, in August, 1942. when he held the rank of pilot officer. The citation stated: "This observer has displayed matchless navigational ability during the many operational sorties in which' he has participated. On August 19, 1942, Jie was observer in the leading aircraft of a formation which participated in the combined operations at Dieppe. When the formation was attacked by some 20 enemy fighters Pilot Officer Baxter calmly gave directions to his captain and subsequently, his skilful navigation was an essential contribution to the success achieved by the formation and to its safe return to base.”

Flight-Lieutenant Baxter was born in 1911 at Egmont Village, Taranaki, his parents being dairy farmers until hard work, ill-health and the 1920-23 dairy slump took their toll. He was educated at the New Plymouth Boys’ High School and the Feilding Agricultural College. After leaving school he worked as a clerk for two years with seed and fertiliser merchants at Feilding and Flawera. During the slump years he worked at numerous labouring jobs, being employed at the Feilding Freezing Works ,at bridge building, driving of a baker’s cart and a dairy farm employee from 1931 to 1934. From 1935 to 1940 he was engaged in shepherding on a Wairarapa sheen station of 7000 acres of secondclass hill country and in two years rose to the position of head shepherd. 1 '

He gave evidence before the Royal Commission set up in 1939 to inquire into the sheep farming industry, and was congratulated by Sir Francis Frazer, president of the Commission for the work and thought he put into the preparation of his evidence. In March, 1940, he joined the R.N.Z.A.F’. as a trainee, leaving New Zealand in July of that year as an observer. In December, 1940, he was posted to 110 (H) Squadron and completed 24 sorties in Blenheim IV’s, including a day-light low-level attack on Heligoland. From July, 1941, to December, 1941, he was a navigational instructor in England, and in January, 1942, he went, back to operations in Boston Ill’s with SS Squadron. While in this squadron he did 28 operational trips, including the Dieppe job for .which he was awarded the D.F.C. From December, 1942, to September, 1944, he was remustering from observer to pilot, and during this time he went to Canada for six months.

While there he addressed the Rotary Club at Oshawa, Ontario, bis subject being, “What the serviceman thinks about,” in the course of which he emphasised that they demanded a decent standard of living for all, security against exploitation and finally, security that there will be no more war. During leave periods he studied Canadian farming methods, especially in Alberta. After returning to England he spent ten days in Edinburgh discussing farming problems in general with university lecturers and . prominent people connected with farmino- in dustries. He also attended lectures on political and social economics by Sir Bertram Russell at Cambridge University, and by Dr Lindsay, of Oxford University, on Britain’s postwar educational policy.

In September, 1944, he joined 75 (N.Z.) Squadron and flew Lancaster Ill’s on 30 operational sorties. Altogether he has done 82 operational sorties with Bomber Command, 20 of which were carried out in the Ruhr. He returned to New Zealand in March, 1945, accompanied by an English bride and nine months’ old daughter.