Last Shots in Mayoral Campaign

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 115, 16 May 1941, Page 8

Last Shots in Mayoral Campaign

Mr. Tennent at Opera House An enthusiastic audience of electors which completely filled the lower portion of the Opera House, greeted Mr. Blair Tennent for his final election speech last evening. Th® candidate spent most of his time attacking Mr. Mansford on his method of conducting the campaign, charging th® Mayor with using two weapons, namely, personal abuse and misrepresentation; and secondly, terrorist propaganda. Although Mr. Mansford’s charge against Mr. J. A. Grant had been amply refuted, he was not big enough minded to admit his mistake. Regarding the charges made by the Mayor against the speaker, those had been completely answered on Monday night, the attempt to belittle the speaker being mean and contemptible. Further, they had been shown to be untrue and the attack was unworthy of a man who was Mayor. Nevertheless, Mr. Mansford was not big enough minded to acknowledge and apologise for such a misrepresentation.

Mr. Tennent then dealt with what he termed the Mansford propaganda machine. With just Mr. Mansford and himself in the picture, it would have been a very interesting campaign. He felt quite confident that with the support assured him, even though it would have been a very close run, he would have won. However, at the last minute a third man appeared over the horizon, Mr. Murphy. Immediately the Mansford propaganda machine was set to| work. It was a very clever piece of i machinery working full bore pouring! out propaganda. “We can’t have ai Labour Mayor! We can’t have a man j welcoming the Governor in a soft col-, !ar! That would be dreadful! We ( can’t have a Labour Mayor as the rates would soar! We would be ruined! The city finance® and all would go! Such was the propaganda put out and it never ceased,” said the speaker. One would think that this young gentleman was a beast with four horns, to hear some of them talk. That was one side, but what was Mr. Mansford’s public attitude? Mr. Murphy could bo an angel sent from heaven as ho never mentioned his name. Mr. Mansford could hit out, as he said, but he could also lie low. Whyl When there were just two in the picture Mr. Mansford was sure he was getting the major portion of the Labour vote, but with Mr. Murphy’s entrance so many votes were taken from him that ho then dropped back to a bad second. Mr. Mansford was not mentioning Mr. Murphy be : cause ho did not want to antagonise Labour. “They were crying wo don’t want Mr. Murphy, but are they at heart really worrying about Mr. Murphy?” Mr. Tennent asked. “They know that Mr. Murphy is probably the least known Labour man who has stood for such an office. They know that even if he got in he could not do any harm with a non-Labour Council. Then why all the propaganda?” The speaker’s opinion was that the man they were afraid of was Blair Tennent. They were trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the electors. They were trying to raise the bogey cry in order to deflect votes not from Mr. Murphy but from that very solid body of support which was behind the speaker. It was very clever and subtle, but he was sure the people would see through it. That solid body of support will remain firmly be-

hind Blair Tennent and put him at the top of the poll on Saturday. Mr, Tennent nest referred to an incident which happened during a compli-1 : mentary function to troops in the 1 : Opera House on Tuesday night. The ! , Mayor took the chair and read a few j appropriate remarks. Mr. B. J. Jacobs j in his own inimitable stylo added his 1 , contribution. Then Mr. K. A. Hender- i son, president of the Chamber of Commerce spoke. What did ho say? He ! made reference to the small payment . j these boys received for the job they . were doing. He advocated support for ] the National Savings Campaign—all , very fine sentiments with which we all j agree, said Mr. Tennent. Then ho said: “Now', coming to the ] ( city affairs and turning to me—with , the usual palaver about my good friend Mr. Blair whom he respects and admires—the affairs of the city have been ! very well managed during the past ten ; years and I know (turning to tne audi- ' ence) that you ladies and gentlemen, ! will see that Mr. Mansford is re-elected on Saturday and that he is still Mayor when these boys come back. ’ ’ Did Mr. ! Mansford rise and apologise for such a j oiunder? Not a word. “I realise it was a very difficult situation for him,” added Mr. Tennent. “I think I have never heard anything in such bad taste ' and I don’t think any action has been ! so repugnant to the people who heard ( it. Not a hand was raised in applause. , Instead the audience gasped. It has ( shown quite clearly to what lengths Mr. Mansford’s supporters will go to try in a death grasp as it were, to catch votes —even to the extent of profaning the , sanctity of such a meeting. This action ! along with Mr. Mansford’s dastardly : attack on Mr. Grant and his attack on me on grounds not one of which he can substantiate, I am sure have so sickened the hearts of the people of this city and they will not forget it on .Saturday ;at the poll.” ! Mr. Tennent next directed attention j to the citiezns’ ticket which was adver- ‘ i tised in the press and asked if anyone J I knew who the author of it was. Mr. ' I Hodgens disclaimed all knowledge of - | it. Mr. E. H. Smith, denied all know- J , ledge of it. The retiring councillors ' seeking denied any connec- j tion with it. Who then was responsible j for it? “lean definitely assuro that neither X nor my committee virere,” ; said Mr. Tennent. “I’ll wager any- i thing it was not the Labour Party, but ; I’ll say without any qualification it i was the Mansford propaganda machine. Some of his prominent supporters have •so far lost their sense of proportion that they will take unto themselves the right of publishing the names of men on a list which they choose to call the citizens’ ticket without having the decency to first ask them will they aTTow it.” The speaker pointed out that the timing of propaganda was as ! important as the propaganda itself and , in this case it had been badly timed. ! The ticket had been published 36 hours , too soon. The men whose names were on the ticket had been able to burst the balloon and so nullify its effect.

The next point touched upon by the candidate was Mr. Mansford’s political intentions. The Mayor 's cry was no change while the war was on. He would persuade the people that the city could be saved only by re-cl&cting him, but if he were elected to Parliament in five months, on his own admission he would drop all these important city affairs which only he could save. That was truly an amazing loss of all sense of proportion. “Don’t be misled by panic propaganda,” urged Mr, Tennent. “It is not directed against Mr. Murphy but against Tennent who is the man they are afraid off.”

On Saturday it was not Mansfo: Murphy and Tennent on trial. It w

the electors. The voters he put to the | I test of being able to show that they j I viewed this matter in a calm resolute manner, looking all the facts squarely in the face. Ho was sure they would! sum it all up by saying that of the three, Tennent had the best claims. In moving a. motion of thanks and confidence in Mr. Tennent, Mr. J. A. Grant recalled that two months ago it had been with the greatest of pleasure that ho had presented to Mr. Tennent; a petition signed by electors asking him' to stand for Mayor. The petition had. his absolute support. Mr. Tennent had j shown how a candidate could speak and ' how to answer his critics and it was j the speaker’s duty to extend to the candidate sincere appreciation of the way he had accepted the wishes of the majority of the people of Palmerston North by contesting the election. The position of Mayor was an honour which should bo made available to those who had shown an interest in the city by their civic services. “We should honour worthy citizens with the highest honour wo can give them and no man should sit there too long,” added Mr. Grant. The motion was seconded by Mr. T. J. Dodgers, who agreed thaJt it was not good for one man to hold the office in- { definitely. “I think that when we . have younger men of ability and muni- , cipal experience offering themselves, ( we should take the opportunity of . electing some of them,” he said. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. J. C. Young was chairman. Opportunity was taken by Mr. E. 11. , Smith, a candidate for the council, to . present his qualifications to the gather- ; ing and make himself known.