II PALMERSTON SEAT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 3, 3 December 1931, Page 5

II PALMERSTON SEAT

mm MR NASH’S SUBSTANTIAL ( MAJORITY. I|| PROGRESS OF RETURNS. The progress of the returns for the seat was followed with exceptional interest. Nine minutes after gHhe closing of the booths the first reHult, a small one, came to hand from Hploverlea, this very definitely favouring gHfche Coalition candidate. Only another Baninute elapsed before the returns Mfeere in from Kelvin Grove, again favHpuring Mr Nash. Then followed FitzBSerbert, again with a most substantial Hjpajority fpr the successful candidate. Hf&ongburn provided the first setback Hfor Mr Nash by a margin of sixteen ■Rotes. The Hospital vote was followHfed with more than usual interest, and Ht disclosed a vote well in favour of the ■Coalition candidate. Returns co(mKparatively minor in importance comHtaared with those of the bigger booths Btontinued to come in, the country disKtricts recording decided majorities for ftylr Nash. The Hokowhitu vote went ■n his favour, though here the polling

fairly close. At Milson there was very large vote in favour of Mr Hodwhile Takaro was slightly in his At this stage of the returns candidates’ totals were comparaBBh’ely close. TeiTace End voted fairly for Mr Nash, while the High booth results showed a two to vote in his favour. The voting Jiflkas fairly evenly divided at West End, it represented a slight increase the majonty for Mr Nash. first result from the Oddfellows’ flpll in Cuba Street arrived at 7.30 and gave a small majority to Mr I«pdgens, as did the second. Ultimately j polling centre, at which over 2000! were cast, favoured Mr Hodgens! 1066 votes to 1019. College Street I favoured Mr Nash to quite an! extent. With the arrival i the returns from the Empire Hall, I nearly 3700 votes were record- i the issue was placed beyond doubt, j Nash’s majority continued to in- ! fiaOpased until when all the votes had counted it had reached 1018. speed was shown in com. the returns and at 7.64 p.m. the Mkl figures were available.

■ CANDIDATES’ SPEECHES. B THANKS FOR SUPPORT. to the announcement of H final returns for the Palmerston Kt, Mr J. A. Nash, who was entering Hfin another three years’' term of rewhich would bring his reof service to a total of sixteen Hp-s as member of Parliament for the made his appearance on the of the “Standard” office to the electors. His first action H to lead three. cheers for Mr the defeated candidate. He thanked the electors for again rehim to Parliament. “The camhas been a very strenuous one,” Mr Nash, “and so_ far as the of the campaign is concerned has been no cause for anyone on side to complain that unfair tacH.linve been employed.” Mr Nash that Mr Hodgens had fought the in a very fine spirit, and he speaker) had done likewise. He ex- ■ Bed his thanks to Colonel Whyte of his committee), those who charge at the different booths, and gentlemen’s committees who had been kind enough cars. jjiHEe election had been an exceptional ■Kgsaid Mr Nash, for the reason that not been that other issue IMBlb.prompted everyone to vote. There ■lfißflbowever, been a good poll under lH|§lircumstances. only about 300 less Moßbeing cast than at the previous

election. He would endeavour to do his best in the future, as in the past, to merit the confidence of the electors.

Concluding, Mr Nash said that, as far as the Coalition Government was conoerned, he thought the electors had done the right thing. He also heartily congratulated Mr Hodgens upon his splendid results. The election had been fought without any personal feeling whatever entering into it. He finally returned his sincere thanks for being placed at the head of the poll. (Applause) . The Labour candidate, Mr J. Hodgens, next spoke, and called for three cheers for Mr Nash. “I have no regrets whatever in connection, with this election fight,” he said. “I am delighted to think that we have stood shoulder to shoulder and put up suen a good fight.” He congratulated Mr Nash on his majority and said it proved conclusively that it would be a long time before he (tlie speaker) could unseat Mr Nash. He expressed the hope that

Mr Nash would be blessed with good health during the next three years at the end of which time .the speaker would have another attempt, with the consent of his colleagues. Mr Hodgens said he wished to record his deep appreciation of those who had worked so well on his behalf and also that of the Labour Party. He thanked all who had been associated with him, stating that it had been agreed that the election should be fought straight-out on a question of policy. He hoped Mr Nash would give consideration to “Government of the people by the people for the people.” (Applause.)

EFFICIENT HANDLING

RETURNS QUICKLY AVAILABLE.

"While the public patiently awaited the results, the returning officer f or the Palmerston electorate (Mr H. B. Reid) used every facility to secure returns as soon as they were available from the various booths, and showed commendable dispatch in handling and checking them. He had a large staff to supervise and 36 booths were under his control, at 7.64 p.m. every electoral return was to hand. This fast returning work must have established a record for the electorate.

The elimination of the licensing poll on this occasion simplified the count. The returning officer kept in communication with the booths constantly and spared no effort to ensure that the information came to hand as speedily as possible. Altogether the arrangements for taking the poll were admirably carried out, and gave complete satisfaction to all concerned.

The number of informal votes decreased to 59 from 153 last election, when there were three candidates.

POSTING THE RETURNS,

“STANDARD” DISPLAY BOARD.

AN APPRECIATED SERVICE

An expectant crowd gathered early outside the “Standard” office, where complete arrangements had been made to keep the public informed of the progress of the election throughout New Zealand. By 8 p.m. the crowd li£td attflinod liug© dimensions. The large hoarding covered the entire front of the building and adjoining premises and the results were clearly indicated to thousands. As an additional facility for notifying the public of the returns, tire results were projected on to an adjacent screen with a lantern. I The extensive hoarding in front of the “Standard” office was well illuminated. and a scrutiny of the fijflires was sufficient to give the public whatever information was required. Meanwhile election news was disseminated from a wireless speaker arranged and -most efficiently conducted by Mr J. W. Lucas. 1 The returns were posted promptly as thev arrived, arrangements having ; been made by the “Standard” office to have them available immediately they were counted. An efficient service was maintained in this direction until the public lrad been apprised of the final position in every electorate, as well as the state of the political parties. A summary which was reviewed from time to time indicated how matters stood. The three sendees boarding, screen, and radio were operated concurrently—and fully maintained the interest of the public as well as keeping them posted almost instantaneously with happenings all over the Dominion. . Traffic restrictions were imposed in the vicinity of the display bonrd, and before - 6.30 p.m. people began to arrive in front of the “Standard” office to take up places of vantage from which they could view the board on which the results were being posted. Their numbers quickly swelled, assuming the proportion of thousands as the evening progressed and results were steadily received. The crowd formed a solid barrier across the streets. As I time passed excitement began to | manifest itself. nnd interest quickened. The arrival of the Empire Hall figures, around which the principal interest centred, put the issue beyond doubt in the Palmerston electorate. With the release of the public from places of entertainment hundreds gravitated naturally in the direction of the results board, with figures indicating the returns in the various electorates. This provision for the convenience of the public was greatly appreciated. The crowd remained undeterred bv the lateness of the hour, though many, satisfied with the information given, began to make their way homewards. The crowd, while showing a spirited interest in the election results, was most orderly throughout. The “Standard” wishes to thank the transit department for assistance and courtesies extended and also Mr J. E. Griffiths, the Ideal Cycle Works and the Kairanga Meat Coy., for the use of their frontages.