ELECTION NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22261, 8 November 1935, Page 13

ELECTION NOTES

INDEPENDENT SOCIALIST BRIGHT RAY IN THE EAST The palm for being the most out--standing individualist who has so far 1 appeared in the election campaign must be awarded to Mr. Fred Polley, the Independent Socialist candidate for Tauranga. More than an individualist and a man of independent instincts,' he is a pioneer of thought. In the first place who ever heard of an independent Socialist at the hustings.? It is simply not done. It cannot be done according to the Hoyle of that political school. Furthermore, he uses red, white and blue as his cplours and has for his slogan, "God, King and Country. Socialism Must Save." There is no reason whatever why a loyal liege of His Majesty should not proclaim the Socialist idea, for in their heart of hearts most folk who are attracted by that political philosophy, if they are of British blood and inherit all that .is meant by British tradition, feel that Buckingham Palace would make for them a wonderful rallying point. There's not the slightest doubt about the King's leadership of the mass of the people. Nor is there any reason why a Socialist should not want tho Bible in the schools, though in this matter Mr. Polley is inclined to lean to the side of dictatorship. He wants it to be compulsory. Anyway, Mr. Policy's stand must be respected. He ' is paying his way out of his own pocket, he travels in his own vehicle and sleeps in it, and to his meeting he even takes his own bottle of water and is sufficiently individualistic to make so bad a job of corking it that it leaks and ruins his notes. It must be great to be a Socialist who can claim the right to make his own mistakes. One likes Mr. Polley as he is revealed by his speech. His lifebuoy should go into the National Museum and his statement, that many members of Parliament do not possess the courage of "a fair-sized rabbit," will make some of the Punch writers envious. Mr. Forbes Cartooned One has often wondered what publio men think about their cartoon appearances. Mr. Winston Churchill, it is understood, used to buy the original \ of every cartoon by one artist in which he and his hats were featured. But everyone is not a Churchill. However, Mr. Forbes is evidently of the same frame of mind. He has told the coun- . try that he enjoys Minhinnick's cartoons immensely. Mr. Forbes, that is, George, seeing we are. discussing cartoons (for no one can possibly be a Minister when so masquerading) often looks a villainous sort of person when the genial Minhinnick is* having his joke. Sometimes he is a pathetic kind of ruffian, sometimes he is an unlovelyold woman. But Mr. Forbes does not regard his cartoon face as a "humblin' sicht" as the old Scottish lady said when she saw her photograph. Mr. Forbes has the sporting spirit as becomes an old footballer and is in the happy position of being able to laugh at himself. Diversity in the Labour Party "Among the Labour Party candidates for this election are four doctors, atout six ministers of the Gospel, several barristers and solicitors, and one relief worker," said Mr. A. G. Osborne, in the course of his address at St. Chad's Hall, Meadowbank, "Of the latter we are proud, for some of our best men have worked with a shovel or in relief camps." New Industries « The Government has its experts busy on investigating the -untapped, oil and gold resources of tho Dominion, and Sir. Forbes emphasises the importance of developing and stimulating industries. The Labour Party is not behind in this respect. It has one great new industry in view, that of manufacturing a new kind of paper. It believes that this paper will be a much, more profitable thing than gold. Labour Councillors > A tribute to the work of the Labour members of the City Council was paid last night by Mr. 'H. P. Burton, National Government candidate for Auckland East, in the course of - an election address at Newmarket. He had nothing against Labour men personally, he said. For the last six months he had been closely associated with the Labour men on the City Council, "t want to' pay tribute to them," he continued. "While in many respects I differ from them and differ vitally, I have never worked* with a set of men who are more on their job and more keen to do their job than the men of the Labour Party with whom I have been associated in the last six months. I am game enough to pay tribute to them in that respect." " Hurting the Chairman " Much laughter greeted a question ' : put to Mr. H. P. Burton, a member of the City Council, at his political meeting in the Newmarket Municipal Hall last night. He was asked whether he was in favour of the amalgamation of Newmarket with the city, and Mr. Burton replied that he was in favour of it, even compulsorily in certain circumstances. "I knew you were; I knew >you were!" shouted the questioner gleefully. "Then why did you ask me?" replied Mr. Burton. "Because I knew it would hurt Mr.".' Donaldson," replied the questioner, still chuckling cheerfully. The reference to Mr. S. Donaldson, Mayor of Newmarket, who was pre- - siding over the .meeting, was received with good humour by the audience. Keeping the Grass Growing ; v The mutual dependence of town and country was neatly put by Mr. H. P. Burton in the course of his address afc Newmarket last; night. "If we did not keep the grass growing in the Waikato we would very soon have the grass .. growing in the streets of this city," he said. • Chorus ol Correction"lnstead of pulling its weight with the other parties in the country's hour of need, the Labour Party has merely acted as an obstructionist throughout these last three years," said Mr. A. Harris, Independent National Government candidate for Waitemata at his meeting at Devonport last evening. "Four years I" came a chorus from all parts of the theatre. "For the Good of All" Confident hopes and good wishes for the success of the« Government candidates were expressed by the president of the Canterbury branch of the National Political Federation, Sir It. Heaton Rhodes, at a gathering of Government candidates, committee members and officials of the branch held in Christchurch. "The candidates have- undertaken their task, not for themselves, but for the good of all/" 6aid Sir Heaton. "They have a srood story to tell, which is certain to'carry weight with the electors. We cannot make the same promises as other parties, but we have a solid, sober manifesto, which, put in th« right way, is sure to appeal to the public." * • **