THE ELECTIONS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 4594, 21 January 1938, Page 5

THE ELECTIONS

1938 A BUSY YEAR. ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES ALTERED. LOCAL BODY PERSONNEL. Now that the three-year term has been restored, Parliament will be dissolved later in the year, and a general election for members of the House of Representatives will be held, probably about November.

It is too early for anything but passing interest to be shown in this contest, and quite a lot is likely to happen between now and the month named. Early preparation for a strenuous campaign, however, is being made in both camps, with the Nationalist forces laying their plans a long way further ahead than usual. Persistent rumours of a “snap” election that were current some time ago quickened the Opposition into action, and it took steps to consolidate its position both inside and outside the House. The policy of the Labour Party, of course, has always been to maintain its strength and influence at all times. These rumours have since died down, though the Government’s readiness to go to the country at any time was indicated in the Prime Minister’s now famous challenge to the Leader of the Opposition last session. The broad issue at the election is fairly plain. It will lie between State control and regulation on the one hand and the right of private enterprise on the other.

Waikato and Waitomo.

At this year’s election new boun-

daries will rule, so that Te Awamutu will go into Waikato instead of Waitomo, as formerly. The alteration in boundaries will necessitate an enormous amount of work in compiling the electoral rolls, hundreds of names having to be transferred from one roll to another. It is likely that, owing to economic changes and the development of public works, more people than usual have moved their abodes in the past two years, and the enrolments of all these have to be altered accordingly. While preparations move slowly at the present time, the work of the returning officer and his staff will be substantially increased in the months to come. A wealth of detail requires attention in each of the steps which have to be taken before the electoral roll is complete, and then a task that remains is to organise the poll. To act as depty returning officers, poll clerks, and counters, many persons will have to be employed.

In the case of Waitomo, Te Kuiti will remain the headquarters of the electorate, and it is expected that Cambridge will become the administrative centre of the new Waikato electorate.

Mr. W. J. Broadfoot will again be the National candidate for Waitomo, and the Labour nominee will be selected at an early date. As to the Waikato seat, Mr. F. Lye. a former member, and Mr. W. S. Goosman, the well-known contractor, both desire the Nationalist nomination, and before the Party makes its final choice of a candidate there is likely to be some skirmishing within the ranks. Mr. R. Coulter (Labour) at present represents Waikato but the electorate has been so altered that it is quite possible that he may contest Hauraki at the next election. In any case the Labour Party is sure to put a candidate in the field.

Local Body Elections.

The municipal elections will take place on May 11th. In that month there will be more local body elections than have ever been held at one time before. In fact, it may be said that the personnel of the great majority of such bodies will come up for review. The reason for this is that by legislation passed in 1935 the term of office of town boards, road boards, and drainage boards, with certain exceptions, was extended temporarily to three years. Their elections will take place on Wednesday, May 11th, the date fixed for those'of Te Kuiti Borough Council, Waitomo and Otorohanga County Councils, Waitomo and Wairere Electric Power Boards, Unless the legislation is extended the boards will revert thereafter to the biennial elections that have been the rule for many years. With the municipal and county polls will be held those for the election of district representatives on most electric power boards, the Waikato Hospital Board and the Auckland Harbour Board. School Committees.. -

Householders will have the privilege in April of electing school committees for the ensuing term of years.