The Hawera Star THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1928. THE HON. MR O. J. HAWKEN’S CAMPAIGN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 11 October 1928, Page 4

The Hawera Star

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1928. THE HON. MR O. J. HAWKEN’S CAMPAIGN.

DelivernrJ every evening: by !> o'oloob to Hawera. Manaia. Knrmanby, Okaiaava, Eltham, Mangatoki. Kapcnga. Alton, "Tnrlejville Patea. Waverlev, Mo. oia. Wnakamara, Ohangai, Meremere. Fraset Eoad. and Ararata.

If there are any persons who envy the ■lot of a Cabinet Minister, they certainly do not do so because there is anything restful about the life bis duties compel him 1 to live. Last night, an hour after his arrival from Wellington, ■where ho had been attending some very lata sessions of Parliament, the Hon. Air O. J. Hnwkcn, Minister of Agriculture, entered upon his election campaign in his own electorate, and, though lie apologised for his inability ito 1 deliver an address dealing with the political questions of the day as thoroughly as he could wish, on account of the pressure which had been made upon his time up till the moment of arrival in the electorate, he was, nevertheless, able toi keep his hearers ait Cardiff interested for something like two hours without reference to any notes other than a few figures. This is the sort of thing that a Minister of the Crown must be able to do, but, as a .prophet selodom receives his just measure of honour in his own country, it may not be, perhaps, out of place to. remind the electors of Egmonfc that throughout New Zealand the Minister of Agriculture commands a great deal of respect for the grasp which he has upon the affairs of his own departments and of the country generally. In questioning the wisdom, of those who would votefor his independent opponent. Mr Hawken: was doing no more than he was entitled to do. He. was betraying no secret when the stated, that the influence of the independent in the House was negligible and that the man who stood outside all parties was able to do- little or nothing in the direction of putting into practice the high ideals with which ho had tickled the- ears of . his supporters during an election campaign. Mr Hawken, while readily giving credit to Mr

Wilkinson for absence of .personal motives in. contesting the Egmo-nt seat against a Government member, said that ho found it difficult to understand why 'ho (Mr Wilkinson) bad. entered the field at all in view of bis disinclination to say that be was definitely opposed to the Reform Government, or that be favoured the policy of the Uiuiteds. Many other electors find a. similar difficulty in arriving at Mr Wilkinson's reasons for standing as a. candidate, for it cannot bo forgotten that there was every appearance of a perfect understanding between Mr Wilkinson, Mr Hawken. .and the Reform Party when the present member first stood for the district upon the retirement- of Mr Wilkinson. As tbe campaign proceeds, am ever-growing number of electors are certain to. ask themselves what attraction Mr Wilkinson’s candidature can have for them so long ns ho is not prepared to be either a United or a Reform candidate.