GENERAL ELECTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 95, 21 March 1938, Page 11

GENERAL ELECTION

NATIONALIST RALLY. IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. Per Press Association. TIMARU, March 20. At the homestead of Dlr T. D. Burnett, M.P., at Cave on Saturday a rally of supporters of the National Party in the three Canterbury electorates bounded by tlie Ashburton River in the north and the Kakanui River in the south was held. Throughout the proceedings the greatest enthusiasm prevailed and over 500 people stood and cheered the leader of the party (Hon. Adam Hamilton) as he took his place on the platform. A similar display of loyalty was accorded Mr S. 0. Holland (DI.P. for Christchurch North), Dir H. S. S. Kyle (DI.P. for Riccarton) and Dlr Burnett. The four members addressed the gathering for an aggregate of over four hours, and at the conclusion of the speeches the following resolution was carried unanimously: “That this representative gathering of National Party supporters in South Canterbury from the Kakanui River to the Ashburton River expresses its alarm at the course that New Zealand politics have recently taken. This meeting is appreciative of the wonderful heritage enjoyed by New Zealand citizens and expresses its thanks to the early pioneers n.nd legislators of the past for the sound foundation laid and progressively built on, which has given our generation the highest standard of living enjoyed by any people in the world; that this meeting therefore resolves to go on working strenuously to maintain the free enterprise of our people and a sound, progressive Government of the country and will do all in its power to prevent and overthrow tire rer-olutionary and Socialistic policy being pursued by the present Government.” At the conclusion of the speeches til 4 *, meeting went into committee to diecuss matters of organisation.

SOUTH ISLAND SEATS. PLANS OF NATIONAL PARTY. CHRISTCHURCH, March 18. It is considered likely in National Party circles that either Mr D. Jones, a former Minister for Agriculture, and a member of tiie Executive Commission of Agriculture, or Mr M. E. Lyons, secretary to the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, will be selected to contest the MidCanterbury seat at the next general election. The selection will bo made at Rakaia on March 24. Doubts whether Rt. Hon. G. AV. Forbes would again seek election have been removed by the assurance given the National Party by the former Prime Minister that he will again contest tile Hurunui seat if desired and the names of Mr Gladstone AVard, a son of the late Sir Joseph AA’ard, Mr A. M. Carpenter, a farmer, of Fernside, Mr H, McMillan, a storekeeper, of Ouruhia, Mr Hiram Hunter, and Mr AV. Ashe, a farmer of Olioka, are likely to go to the National selection ballot in the Kaiapoi electorate. Dir D. O. Kidd, chairman of the Crown Tenants’ Association, a member of the Canterbury Land Board, and a prominent local body man and farmer, has been selected as tho National candidate for AA’aitaki, while Mr H. AV. Hall, a former Mayor of Timaru. will contest tho seat against the sitting member, Dir Clyde Carr. The sitting member, Dir T. D. Burnett, will against contest the Tennika seat.

i Mid-Canterbury, regarded as a Re- • form stronghold until Mr J. Connolly defeated Mr D. Jones, is considered > by the National Party to be ono of its best organised electorates in the South Island. The selection will be made finally on March 24, and at this stage it appears that the two most favoured nominees are Mr Jones and Mr Lyons. The National candidate for the Ivaiapoi constituency, now represented by Mr C. Morgan Williams, will be announced in about a month. The latest to announce his name is Mr Gladstone Ward, who was for a time farming at Southbrook and is now a sharebroker in Christchurch, while one of the most prominent members of the Christchurch City Council has been asked to allow liis name to go to the ballot. The present indications are that the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes will be opposed 'by only a Labour candidate for Hurunui. At the last election Mr Forbes defeated two candidates. Mr J. W. Greenslade, a former Mayor of Greymouth, has been mentioned as a National nominee for the Westland seat, and the party expects that no difficulty will be found in selecting a suitable candidate.