The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, March 5, 1946. TO-DAY'S ELECTION.

Grey River Argus, 5 March 1946, Page 4

The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, March 5, 1946. TO-DAY'S ELECTION.

Being. more than most electorates, one of a mixed composition, embracing both farmers and wage workers, Raglan voting to-day may be expected to give a line upon political feeling generally in the Dominion. From the outset. a section of the farmers have manifested voeiferious hostility towards the Labour nominee, and Labour supporters in one locality have countered by solidly heckling the Opposition, candidate. It is never safe to prophesy until you know, and the margin be-

tween tile contestants may not be much more than the rather narrow lone at the general election. AcI cording to the press of the country, Labour is due, however, for i a resounding defeat on this oceas- ! ion. It lias been reiterated ad nauseam that the successful candidate last time got in by a minority vote. Therefore, the removal of any such possibility this time ought to be eminently satis-

factory. The main reason why there was no absolute majority at the general election was the presence of a vote-splittOr in the held, : and the particular vote which it was has mission to split was that of Labour, ft is undeniable that any Administration which has been in office for more than a decade is bound to accumulate opposition, on account, not so much of its measures, but of the criticism and propaganda generated and perfected during that period by political and class I opponents. The Opposition has j not to trouble itself with the re-

sponsibilities of governing, and is at the same time free both to misrepresent those who do carry those responsibilities, and concoct the wildest promises in quest or the vote of the electors. Needless to say these guarantees to wipe out taxation and make the country a greater paradise than ever have been in the Raglan campaign much the biggest part of the stock in trade of the Nationalist electioneers. At first they pretended to be allowing their nominee to win the seat oft’ his own . bat, but they dropped the pretence very suddenly as the contest developed. With the press at their beck and call, they have not minced their words in attacking the Government, and the impression they have conveyed has been that they are going to wipe the floor with Labour. Yet there latterly lias come a more characteristic note into the Tory propaganda. It is not exactly a note a I: triumph, but rattier one of pretentious lamentation. Labour supporters are being described as undemocratic, or totalitarian, or whatever most coincides in the Tory philosophy with electors who

display a determination to contest that philosophy. It is proclaimed at the eleventh hour that at the end of the campaign the Nationalists in one locality had talked themselves utterly out of a good hearing. Well, that may indeed amount to a. tangible straw in the wind. They must have somehow bungled their campaign to have put their policy in. such a. bad light with any community. There ought to have been at least a little wit and humour mixed in with the '‘rough stuff”, and then it doubtless would not have provoked the equivalent from . electors. It is safe to say that if the Tories were, really confident, they would not thus be crying “stinking fish” on the battle eve, nor publishing homilies for everybody on the extremity give bearing of an election “rag” upon the fate of the whole wide world. I.t may be that a majority in liaglan does not want a change of Government, and that so much has already become evident in quarters where the revelation is unwelcome. It will be cold consolation, should Labour retain the seat, to have io fall back on the that the electors in the majority followed only the lead of those who heckled the most. At anyrate, Avhateyer the figures, it would at least appear that the most enthusiasm is displayed by Labour supporters.