National Candidate for Manukau

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 212, 8 September 1936, Page 8

National Candidate for Manukau

MR. P. W. DOIDGE’S INTERESTING CAREER.

AUCKLAND, Sept. 5. Mr F. W. Doidge, who has been chosen as the Nationalist candidate for tho Manukau seat, has an ancestral connection with the Manukau district, for two of his grandparents were early residents and their graves are in tho churchyard at Howick. As- a youth he lived for some years at Onehunga, where he did his first journalistic work in New Zealand as resident reporter for the Auckland Star. lie became chief reporter in 1913, and later saw service in France with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Invalided to England, he was attached to the Ministry of Information. His work there attracted the attention of Lord Beaverbrook, who, after the armistice, offered him a journalistic position. Within a comparatively short time he was promoted to be circulation manager of the Daily Express and was responsible for the control of a campaign which, in 1923, brought that paper above the million mark—a feat never before performed in British newspaper history. Mr Doidge eventually became a director of the Daily Express, the Evening Standard and the Sunday Express. In 1933 he undertook an Empire tour and made an extended stay in New Zealand. Subsequently he retired, and since returning to tho Dominion he has spent the greater part of his time in the Auckland province. In the last general election he stood for the Rotorua seat as an independent and polled nearly 3500 votes, gaining second place, about 1100 behind the successful Labour candidate, Mr A. F. Moncur. Probable Date of By-election WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. It is expected that tho writ will be issued for tho Manukau by-election on Thursday, when tho rolls will close. Election day is almost certain to be Wednesday, September 30.