BRITISH ELECTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18567, 27 November 1923, Page 7

BRITISH ELECTIONS

If 1403 CANDIDATES. I HOT FIGHT FOR GLASGOW. I 37 TO CONTEST 15 SEATS. 1 CONSERVATIVE PREDICTION CLEAR MAJORITY OF 35. "Br Telesraph—Press -Association Copyright ■ (Received 5.5 p.m.) "■ . A: and N.Z. LONDON, Nov. 26. On the eve of nomination day (Tuesdav), it is expected that Conservatives will nominate 531 candidates, Liberals 450. and Labour 422, including a handful styling themselves Co-operators or Communists. Probably 55 candidates, will be returned unopposed, made up of 38 Conservatives, 10 Liberals, 6 Libour, and one Nationalist, the last-named being Mr. T. P. O'Connor, the " father of the House of Commons," who has been a member of the House since 1880, and has represented the Scotland division of Liverpool since 3885.

Thrto-cornered fights number 237. There will bs double three-cornered fights, that is to say, six candidates for two seats, in Bolton Brighton Norwich. Southampton, and Sunderland.

One of the hottest city fights' is promised in Glasgow, where 11 Conservatives, 1.1 Liberals, 15 Labour candidates, and one Republican are contesting 15 seats. . There are 38 women candidates, eight being Conservatives, 13 Liberals, 16 Labour, and two Independents. The Parliamentary correspondent of the Daily Express points out an important contrast with the last election. Then the Liberals were divided, and the Conservatives united- Now the position is reversed- The Liberals are re-united, and the Conservatives are so far divided on the vital issue of tariffs that if Mr. Baldwin secures » clear majority over the Liberals. and Labour parties he may be unable to carry his tariff programme, because of the opposition of Conservative Free Traders. Lord Younger, the brilliant organiser of Mr. Bonar Law's ' election success, . is credited with the prediction of a clear Conservative majority of 35, an estimate with which the Stock Exchange, " the home of Conservative optimism," agrees.

On the other hand, says the Daily Express, city financiers and bankers, most of whom are convinced Free Traders, anticipate that the Government will not have & dear majority over the combined Opposition Parties. '- PLAIN MAN OF THE PEOPLE. MR. BALDWIN CONFIDENT. EX-SERVICEMEN'S MESSAGE Australian and N.Z. Cable -Aviation. (Reed. 5.5 p. m .) LONDON Nov. 26. The Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, at. the weekend received the following 'telegram:—" Thank God for an Englishman who thinks of England. Six out of work ex-service men wish you lurk While others try to exploit us you risk all to help us. Good man, Stanley! A luckv bet has paid for this. Up England, up Baldwin. Cheerio.— Nineteen-four-t-'enprs." Speaking ■at a meeting at Bewdley, where he was adopted as Conservative candidate, Mr. Baldwin said that besides i curing unemployment, it was essential to have machinery ready against* the day when Germany's production would again become more "formidable than Britain's As a plain man of the common people, he ltn«w that common, plain, blunt, honest people were going i<> win a very great victory. V ■' . ■■•'.., The Prime Minister's son, , Oliver, is speaking in support of Labour in several constituencies. .-. ■ •

LABOUR AN*> FISCAL ISSUE. AN UNRIVETED POLICY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. CBecd. 6.25 p.m.) LONDON. Nov. 26. Mr. J. H. Thomas, late Labour M.P. for Derby, speaking at Smethwiek, said that Labour -was supposed to be the unconstitutional party, but the present election was the second unconstitutional election in a year. The Tories had decided for their own ends and their own personal aggrandisement to force an election. The Labour Party was not riveted to either Free Trade or Protection. It did not believe that Protection would remedy unemployment, but believed .that it would aggravate the evil. Mr. Baldwin had said that the people were getting sick of being monkeyed about by politicians. This was true. Ihe people would indicate th© degree of that sickness on December 6.

RUSSIAN SOVIET'S HOPE. U3ERAL OR LABOUR WIN, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 9.5 pan.) LONDON. Nov 26. The Moscow correspondent of the Morning Post states that the Soviet press is showing special interest in the British election. It hopes that either a Liberal or Labour victory will lead to recognition of the Soviet Government and resumption ci trading. PEACE TO RESTORE TRADE. LIBERAL PARTY'S SLOGAN. A. and N.Z. LONDON. Nov. 25. .Mr David Lloyd George, speaking at Glasgow, declared' that the Liberal Party's j first remedy for unemployment was the: peace of Europe. He contended that the United States, the British Empire, and Italy, in agreement, could impose just; conditions upon anybody. I The Empire's resources # should be developed by improving Empire transport and communications as advocated by Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman in 1907. THE IMPERIAL ISSUE. APPEAL TO ELECTORS A. and N.Z. LONDON, Nov. 25. The Dailv Express, in an editorial. •ays':: "Electors, do not be misled! All three parties are striving to fight the election on the narrow issues of home politics, but the supreme dominant issue is 'The Empire, what it is and what it may become.' " , The article suggests that the electors should question every candidate as to his attitude to Empire markets and a full Imperial tariff based on preference, including the summoning of another Imperial economic conference to draw up such a tariff based without .restriction on the Empire's advantages. Other suggested questions relate to subsidising Empire sea transport, speeding up Empire wireless and cables, {-migration and British credit for Empire development.