AWARUA VACANCY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25030, 21 October 1944, Page 8

AWARUA VACANCY

SPIRITED CONTEST PARTY LEADERS TO SPEAK (0.c.) INVEROAKGILL, Friday The final week of the Awarua byelection campaign promises to be marked by a spate of oratory. Both parties have arranged to have speakers in the electorate. The Prime Minister, Air Fraser, who attended the ceremony iiere last night of the* presentation of the Fre.vberg Flag, won by Southland in the Victory Loan campaign, spoke at Win ton tonight in .support of the Labour candidate, .Mr L. S. O'Siillivan. .Mr O'Siillivan, who started his campaign a week later than that of the National candidate, Mr G. R. Herron, has already had the a&istance of two members of the party, Mr A. G. Osborne (Onehunga) and Mr C. M. Williams (Kaiapoi). Next week it is possible that he will be assisted by the Minister of Rehabilitation, Mr Skinner, and the Minister of Works, Mr Semple, in addition to Mr P. G. Connolly (Dunedin West). National Party Speakers

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, will address a meeting at Winton on Monday night and he will speak at a civic theatre in Invercargill on Tuesday afternoon. Other speakers in support of Mr Herron will he Messrs F. W. Doidge (Tauranga). R. M. Algie (Remuera), W. Sullivan (Bay of Plenty). and T. L. Macdonald (Mataura). Mr Algie will speak at Bluff on Wednesday night and this may be a lively meeting, because Bluff is generally regarded as a Labour stronghold.

Judging by attendances at meetings, there has not been much interest in the campaign so far. Attendances on the average have ranged from 20 to 50. .Meetings have been orderly. The general opinion is that Mr Herron will win, although it is obviou.s that the National Party is leaving nothing to chance. Mr Herron has the advantage that his work as an organiser for the Fanners' Union has made him known to practically every fanner in Southland. There is also the fact that he himself is a farmer and understands the problems of farmers. Last Election Figures The Labour Party is putting plenty of energy into the campaign and the figures of' the 19:18 election suggest that there may bo a considerable Labour vote in the electorate. The figures at that election were: J. Hargest (National), 5224; J. A. Beck (Labour), 4564; majority for Hargest, 060. Mr R. J. Henderson, the Real Democracy candidate, is likely to continue the fight alone. In one of his addresses he said one of the main reasons he was contesting the election was because of the opportunity it gave for propaganda on behalf of monetary reform. His addresses are mainly confined to this, because he claims that without monetary reform there can bo no other reforms.

ECONOMIC ORDER ATTITUDE OF CHURCH PRESBYTERIAN CRITICISM A report on Christianity and the social order setting out the attitude of the church to economic problems is likely to provide one of the main subjects of discussion at the forthcoming general assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Hastings. The report was drawn up by a committee of the Dunedin Presbytery and has been revised by the assembly's public questions committee. The report states that the existing economic order is open to the following criticism: — (1) While it has made possible a rise in the general standard of living in many lands, it has shown a degree of instability and has permitted periodic depressions in which acute need i* suffered by many, while the commodities they need are destroyed or the production thereof is curtailed in spite of the need. Thus the existing order has shown that it cannot be depended on to perform continuously the function for which an economic order exists, namely. the maintenance of and service of life. (2) It allows economic power to be in the hands of individuals who are not sufficiently answerable to the community, hut whose actions are. in some cases, contrary to the welfare of the community. ('<)) Its characteristic tendency is to make profit, rather than the satisfaction of essential human needs, the primary objective of economic activity and the test of success therein. < (4) It tolerates inequalities which in some cases have so little relation to the services rendered to the community that they shock the moral sense. Among guiding principles the report lays down that every individual according to his ability should render commensurate service to the community: and in return for such service he shall be entitled to an adequate standard of life for himself and bis dependants. The committee concludes that today the supreme task of statesmanship is to promote the just and effective ordering of life and at the same time to preserve the essentials of freedom.

BUILDING BREACH PERMIT NOT OBTAINED "If this sort of thing is tolerated the whole of the Building; Emergency Regulations will be upset," said Mr J. H, Luxford, S.M,, yesterday, when a builder, Ij. A. Tannahill, was charged with a breach of the regulations. Defendant admitted proceeding with constructional work without first obtaining a permit. Mr Rosen, who prosecuted, said defendant applied to the Takapuna Borough Council for a permit to build a three-roomed cottage in Corunna Road, Milford. stating that he wanted it for his own residence. The council ascertained that defendant already had n residence elsewhere, and a permit was not granted. An inspector later found that defendant had proceeded with the construction of his cottage. Defendant said ho did not think the permit would be withheld, as the materials were already in his possession. He had commenced to build because pieces were being stolen. "It was very wrong of you," said the magistrate, imposing a fine of £3O. Defendant was also ordered to pay costs and solicitor's fee of £2 2s.

MUNICIPAL FLATS (0.C.) HAMILTON. Friday A proposal to apply to Die Local Government Loans Board for authority to raise £83,000 to erect 52 flats in multi units on the council's property at Whitiora was carried on the casting vote of the Mayor, Mr H. D. Caro, at a special meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council. At a previous meeting the decision to erect the flats was agreed to bv seven votes to six. Three members were absent from the special meeting.