TO-DAY’S BY-ELECTION

Grey River Argus, 5 March 1946, Page 4

TO-DAY’S BY-ELECTION

MR FRASER’S HOPE

Great Labour Victory

p.A. AUCKLAND, March 4. “My opponents seem to be making much political capital out of my coming to take part in the Raglan byelection,” said the Prime Ministei, Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, during an address at Ngaruawahia and Huntly to-night, in connection with the Raglan byelection which takes place to-morrow.

“P'eople are saying that I was brought post haste to Raglan to save Labour from defeat; but I could not do that on the last night of the campaign, as the people have already made uo their minds.” After* motoring from Auckland this afternoon the Prime Minister spoke for an hour at the Ngaruawahia Hall. Mr Fraser then motored to Huntly, where he was given an enthusiastic reception. Cheers and whistles greeted Mr Fraser and he was accorded a most cordial and attentive hearing. “Some people seem to think that it was unseemly for me to fly all the way back to New Zealand merely to get to Huntly,” said Mr Fraser. “What better place could I come to, and what better occasion could 1 choose, than the eve of a great Labour victory. “Among weird and wonderful issues which have been raised in the by-election there has been the suggestion of a disinheritance bill. While in London, I received a letter from a stranger, asking me about this, and I replied that I had never heard of it. I did not take the letter seriously. Never at any time, have I heard anyone in any way ever suggest that the Labour Government should introduce anything of the sort. It is nothing more than monstrous.” The by-election was made necessary by the death of Mr R. Coulter, Labour member. The candidates are Mr A. C. Baxter (Labour) and Mr H. Johnstone (National). The voting at the General Election was as follows:— R. Coulter (L.) 4817 R. J. Glasgow (N.) 4709 A. T. Dillon (D.S.L.? .... 289 S. Burton (R.D.) 221