A SNAP ELECTION

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 October 1924, Page 5

A SNAP ELECTION

LIBERALS ’ CHANCES HOPELESS. THREE-CORNERED CONTESTS. TO BE AVOIDED. by Cable—par.ss association—copyright Received Oct. 13. 10.5 a.m. _ LONDON, Oct. 12. The manifestoes of the three parties fill columns -of the Sunday papers, and are . probably the lengthiest and wordiest documents on record in British elections.. Though all are mainly concerned with purely domestic problems, the Conservative manifesto, devotes the largest space to Imperial topics. The various party moves continue to be the subject of intriguing speculation. The News of the World states that while important negotiations are proceeding between the Conservatives and Liberals for the avoidance of threecornered contests, a number of Liberals have made overtures to Labour with a\iow to their formal recognition as Labour candidates in the constituencies for which they are at present sitting. I s notable also that prominent Liberals continue to emphasise pronouncedly their Liberalism and independence. While Conservative and Liberal manifestoes indicate distinct lines of policy, Lloyd George publishes a . statement in the Yorkshire Evening Aews that Liberalism is fighting for its life in this election. It is, as usual, fighting for- a sane middle course of true progress against the extremes of both sides. r Mr Garvin, in the Observer, says the L nionists have little chance of obtaining a working majority, and the Lib erals no chance whatever. Under the circumstances he advocates the Unionists reducing three-cornered contests to a minimum, bv the withdrawal of L nionist opposition to Messrs Asquith Lloyd George and Mac Lean. ’ OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN. Received Oct. 13. 9.25 am ~ _ „ . LONDON, Oct. 12, Mr. Baldwin, in an exclusive message to the Sunday Times, says: “We realise, first and foremost, - the crying necessity Li ' develop our trade, ‘and that the best markets are with the overseas Dominions.” Tile Sunday Times’ political writer calculates that the Conservatives lost ninety seats at the last election owing to the alienation of free traders from their party, who either voted Liberal or abstained. He estimates that at least half of these seats will be regained. Mr MacDonald spent the week-end at Chequers. He proceeds to Glasgow °Vi! tY open the campaign tour. the Labour executive in the Carnarvon district has'decided to oppose Mr. Lloyd George. Mr Collingwood Hughes, one of the two Conservatives who supported the Government on Wednesday, states that he will not contest the seat again. He declares that he thought the explanations given by Messrs MacDonald and •Hastings unequivocal, and thev should have been accepted. ’ . Sir Hamar Greenwood, after refusing to stand as a Liberal, hag been adopte ed as the anti-Socialist constitutional candidate for East Walthamstow. — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. LABOUR’S PROSPECTS. LONDON, Oct. 11. Public interest in the elections promises to be most keen. The issues are everywhere being discussed. Mr. MacDonald, at Downing Street, and the Conservative and Liberal leaders at their respective headquarters were cheered. The crowds in Downing Street, observing the arrival of a furnil ture van, expected to witness the removal of the Premier’s furniture. Instead, the van brought a new Jacobean suite for the drawing-room A section of the press continues to strongly urge that three-cornered contests should be avoided, especially in the seventy seats in which Labour'won against. Conservative or Liberal candidates. ' The Morning Post, however, declares that .the central Conservative and Liberal organisations do not intend to participate in any arrangements seeking to avoid triangular fights. They consider that the ques tion must be left to the local party leaders. While, undoubtedly, negotiations to this end are in progress in many places, there are indications that the lines of demarcation between Conservatives- and Liberalism are being maintained everywhere. .Viscount Grey, speaking at Sheffield, said he did not feel any more disposed to join, the Conservatives now than he did before. It was time the Liberal Party had a chance. Sir John Simon, at Stirling, also declared: ‘‘For myself. I will not abate one jot or tittle of mv Liberalism. I utterly refuse to merge it into Tory reaction. We are going to fight on a* positive policy.” It is too early to prognosticate, but the Morning Post says Labour expects to gain fifty seats from Liberals and lose twenty Lo the Conservatives. Mr. Wheatley, speaking at Carlisle, said it was impossible for Labour to lose the election even if it tried.

The most interesting of last night’s speeches was that of Mr. Thomas (Colonial Secretary) at Derby, in which he declared that if there had been pressure on the Government in the Campbell case he would unhesitatingly have resigned.. Mr. Hamilton Fyfe. editor of the Daily Herald, speaking at Tunbridge Wells, said the chief factor in producing the present situation was the same alliance which, prior to the 1923 election, . attempted to secure a return of the coalition scheme, which Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. Chamberlain, Mr Churchill and Lord Birkenhead plotted and failed in, owing to the collapse of the_Coalition Liberals, but the idea Had not been abandoned.

The New Statesman Review, which generally supported the Labour Government, scathingly attacked Mr. MacDonald. It says: “As leaden of the Opposition he was tough enough; as Prime Minister he seems too thin-, skinned to live. If we were not aware of his rigid sobriety we should have said that no sober man could have said what Mr. MacDonald said at the Labour Conference on Tuesday. His epithets passed belief. The election was precipitated because someone wounded Mr. MacDonald’s ridiculous amour propre.”

The Royal jiroelamation dissolving Parliament vFTIs published last night, and the writs have been issued to the constituencies.

Mr. Stanley Baldwin (Conservative Leader') sent "a message for displav in 2000 cinemas emphasising the need for a stable Government which will maintain the country’s honour unsullied at home and abroad, and to work unceasingly for the restoration of the prosperity and happiness of all classes

The Conservative manifesto will probably he issued to-day at length, .in the form of Mr. Baldwin’s address to Tiis own constituents at Bewdley. It will deal with the Russian treaty, the Campbell case, the failure of the Government in respect to unemploy-

rnent, and trill outline the Conservative policy as to housing, agriculture, trade, education, etc. Members of Cabinet and other Labourites last night completed a draft election manifesto, which is exnected to he published during'the week-end.