NO CHANGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 18 November 1940, Page 6

NO CHANGE

WAIPAWA BY-ELECTION INCREASED NATIONAL MAJORITY [United Press Association] WELLINGTON. This Day. The National Party candidate, Mr C. G. E. Harker. was returned as member of the House of Representatives for Waipawa at the by-election held in the electorate on Saturday to fill the vacancy caused bj' the death of Mr A. E. Jull. The unsuccessful candidate was Mr H. M. Christie, who stood in the interests of the Labour Party. The voting was:— C. G. E. Harker (National).... 4530 H. M. Christie (Labour) 2974 Majority lor Harker .... 1656 The above figures do not include the result of the voting by men from the Waipawa electorate serving overseas with the armed forces. This result had been expected to reach New Zealand in sufficient time for simultaneous announcement with the local returns on Saturday, and it was still unavailable last night. However, the overseas voting cannot have any material effect on the totals, for the aggregate vote of the soldiers outside the Dominion is unlikely to exceed 100. The same applies to the absentee and postal votes, which have yet to be allocated. NATIONAL PARTY SUCCESS COMMENT BY LEADER OF OPPOSITION AUCKLAND. 17th November. “The result is very significant, and to the National Party, very gratifying,” said Mr Adam Hamilton. Leader of the National Party, when asked to comment upon the success of the National candidate. Mr Harker, at the Waipawa by-election. Mr Hamilton paid a brief visit to Auckland during the week-end.

“It is interesting to note the change of public mind against the Government.” Mr Hamilton said, “as this was the first real contest since the present Government had found itself confronted with the consequences of its spending credit-creating policy. The election goes to prove that electors are not in any mood, these days, to enter into any political party scrap, and the Government was very unwise in creating this contest.

“The results prove also that the successful conduct of the war is an allabsorbing subject, and that anyone who obtrudes party politics is destined to get shoi't shift. The public mind is bent upon unity of effort, and does not wis l to be unnecessarily disturbed in the national endeavour to do everything possible to bring victory to the Empire.

“Naturally I am delighted with the outcome of this by-election,-and I desire to express my own personal gratitude, as well as that of the National Party, to Mr Harker. He and those who helped him in the fight, are to be congratulated upon the excellent result. The electors have made a wise choice, and from my knowledge of Mr Harker, he will give a very good account of himself in the House of Representatives.