SATURDAY'S POLL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25211, 25 May 1945, Page 6

SATURDAY'S POLL

HAMILTON ELECTION HEAVY VOTE EXPECTED NATIONAL WIN LIKELY (0.C.) HAMILTON, Thursday A narrow win for the National Party candidate, Mrs Hilda Ross, over the Labour .nominee, Mr C. A. Barrell, seems likely in the Hamilton by-election on Saturday. Each political organisation is confident of victory, as is Mr J. A. Lee, the Democratic Labour candidate, but trends in the last few days suggest that Hamilton will not change its party allegiance. • There are four candidates for election, the fourth being an Independent, Mr D. Seymour, who has frankly admitted that he does not expect heavy support. With 17,882 voters on the roll, Mr F. Findlav won the seat at the last general election in 1943 from the sitting member, Mr Barrell, by a majority of 454. Mr Findlav polled 7660 votes to Mr Barrell's 7206, while Mr A. E. Allen, Democratic Labour, obtained 885, and Air W. H. Thompson, of the Heal Democracy Movement, secured 19.'}. On this occasion the roll, alter deletions, will contain about 19,000 names, the increase being due not only to a growth in population but also to intensive efforts by the two major parties to ensure that all supporters are enrolled. Parties Before Persons While the election has aroused tremendous interest, the electors appear to have somewhat stifled their feelings, for there is little apparent excitement. The Hamilton people are taking the event in a remarkably quiet manner. Nevertheless, polling will probably be much heavier than in by-elections of recent years, for the interest, if muffled, is intense. . . Essentially the contest is a trial or strength between the two major parties and in some respects the candidates appear to be only incidental factors in the campaign. To a large extent, therefore, the vote on either side will be for the party rather than the person. Mr Barrell has had the support of seven members of the Government, including four Ministers, while Mrs Ross has been assisted by six National members of Parliament and one former member. Interest In Mr Lee In the case of Mr Lee the support will be almost entirely for the candidate; his party is sea reel v heard of. If the attendances at Mr Lop's meetings wer** any gauge. he should have as good a chance of winning as anyone, but the Grey Lvnn contest at the last general election proved that successful meetings were no criterion. There is no question, however, that Mr Lee is an^ important factor in the election. It is unlikely that he will poll less than his party s candidate at the general election, and there seems to be fairly good evidence that during his' campaign he has won a number of railwayman and other workers from the Labour camp. As manv as eight and nine meetings have been held each night and attendances generallv have been good. Almost without exception the meetings have been good-humoured and the speakers in the main have refrained from personalities. Of the political fare offered, little has been drawn from new fields or has become a particular election issue.