THE BRITISH ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21067, 29 December 1931, Page 12

THE BRITISH ELECTIONS.

NEW ZEALANDER AT HOME.

Lady Salmond, widow of the late Sir John Salmond, formerly of Wellington, but now living in England, writes very interestingly to a Wellington friend of the recent elections, states an exchange. She writes:—"The campaign, though short, was intensive. I had offered my services to headquarters of the Conservative Association to work for a National candidate. I attended a preliminary course of election lectures which set forth, for speaking and canvassing, the essential points connected with the national crisis. At eacly lecture we had to deliver a five minutes' speech 011 some subject connected with the present situation. It was somewhat of an ordeal, but all were so tremendously interested and concerned that we quickly lost our nervousness. " I was sent to Enfield to work. It is a long way off, through Finsbury Park, Wood Green, etc., a huge district with a working population. I here are the ordnancfe works, where the Lee-Enfield rifle is manufactured, and the Ediswan, huge electric works. I was sent to work among these people, and, as I understood questions connected with Imperial piofcience, protection and other matters of interest to them, I was able to talk about the Dominions. So I interviewed many rather rough specimens on their own doorsteps, on the landings of tenement houses, etc., till my voice became like unto that of a soap-box orator in Hyde Park. I held a number of quite interesting discussions with them. Then I took women s meetings, which I found equally interesting. These working women are chancellors of their o\vn exchequers, and understand the situation only too well with their experiences of strikes and unemployment and the utter emptiness of the Socialistic promises and bribes. " I consider that the triumph of tho National Government was due in a great measure to the vote of the working women. The wave of profound thankfulness that went through the country was, indeed, most touching, and there was a great scene of enthusiasm in the evening when Their Alajesties attended the performance of the Cavalcade at Drury Lane Theatre. The cheering was such as never heard before, I am sure, and the pent-up emotions of many found expression in tears of thankfulness. AJy candidate was Colonel Applin, D.S.O. He lost the election in 1921 by 259 votes and won this time by a majority of 10,000. He commanded a body of Australians and New Zealanders on the Somme, and was greatly interested in the two countries."