BRITISH ELECTIONS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17640, 2 December 1931, Page 12

BRITISH ELECTIONS

“A WAVE OF PATRIOTISM” NEW ZEALANDERS IMPRESSED Among ninny New Zealanders who were tin England during the British general elections was Mr. C. I Gardner, of New Lynn, who returned to Auckland by -tlie Niagara after Ifmonths in England aiul on the Con tine ud.

“After weeks of Iremendou' mix let v, during which the late of Britain hung in the balance, the result of the elections, came as a great relief,” said Mr. Gardner. “As the earliest figures went up it was per fedly clear that the National Government had scored an extraordinary success. The scenes of enthusiasm that followed were wonderful to behold and an experience I will ‘long remember. It seems strange that as soon as 1 have returned home I -ishould also be witnessing a general election in New Zealand. Undoubtedly, there is going to ho a trade revival and 1 am con fideirt Hint New Zealand’s verdict will be the same as Britain’s.” Mr. A. E. Kernot, attorney in New Zealand for Hie Norwich Union .Mutual Life Insurance Society, who returned after sjiending nearly foui years in London, said he had never, even during the war years, witnessed such a tremendous wave of jialrio.isin as swept over England during t he elec than. It was a wonderful deinonstra ii:in of the real solidarity of Britain in the face of a -national emergency. During the four years lie was in London Mr. Kernot never saw such a willingness to indnigi in practical pat-

rioriem as overwhelmed the cimiurj during the few winks preceding the election. Shonke. j>. rs advertised Brihish-mndc goods as they had never done before. It w..s pleasing to note said Mr. Kernot, that in the South oi England imports from New Zealand, pare.icuiariy baiter, wore in good do m and.

LAST-MINUTE APPEALS Mr. MacDonald : “The issue is simply this: —Are we going to protect you from the financial crashes whicu aio going on in nation after nation? Are we to he allowed to govern or not? These questions must he settled once and for all bv ttiis election."

Mr. Baldwin: “What you have to decide is whether in a time of grave national crisis we are to nave a strong National Government or whether we, are to put our fate in the hands of Socialist Ministers who by deserting their posts failed the nation in this crisis—the issue at stake is treinendf/us. It is the acid-test of democracy.”

Sir Joan Simon : "It takes grit and character for people, to accept and follow the path of thrift, energy and selfrestraint. The real issue of the election is whether the British people will do just tnat.” Lord Lee of Faiehain : “This election is different, from any other. It is the duty of everyone to coma forward to support courageous men of all parties who have forgotten party ties in order to join hand in hand to save the couiitrv in this noiii of greatest need."

Mr. J. If. Thomas ; “I want an opportunity to call the Dominions together, and to ask those of our common heritage to see. if they could not make themselves more dependent on one another and less dependent on tne outside world.” Sir Austen Chamberlain: “Men oi all parties are coming round to the doctrines my father preached 30 years ago that we must help our own people, look first to a system of protection, and give them preference in our own market."

Sir Hilton Young: “This is the last night, of an old England. To-morrow there will either he a now England oi no England at all. Socialism leads downwards through idleness and the National Government upward through work.”

Marquess of Salisbury; “I was brought up to Free-Trade. Although 1 am not suggesting that we should bind tlie Government, I think the possibilities of a tariff ought to be continued. I bis country must have revenue to balance the Budget.” Lend Beaverbrook: “Tlie Budget was balanced by cuts. That is not a real solution of the problm. We are spending too much in foreign countries, and must produce more at home. Britain is unable to pay the money due to Ameri cans and Frenchmen.’'

Viscount Grey said that in his opinion “the issue was whether we are to he solvent or go downhill. 1 know Mr. Elovd George advised Liberal freetraders that where they have to choose between a Conservative National candidate and a Labor candidate they should vote Labor on the ground of free-trade. I disagieo entirely with .that. Mr. Lloyd George is wrong. Until the conn try is made s fe in its finances let us think, in terms of the national welfare, not in terms of party.’’

The 'l imes: “Never before has British democracy been railed upon to take a derision which in a single day may preserve or destroy the value of British euriency and the solidity of British credit. That is the issue in this election, and the campaign has made it more find more clear that it is the only issue.” Daily Express.- “The food on your table may come from thousands of miles away, hut confidence has built a bridge across which world commerce travels. The bank-note in your hand is only oaoer, hut confidence changes the paper into money. It. seems inconceivable that anything could happen. So the people of Austria, Geimany and Russia thought. Suppose the Socialists' were returned to power, confidence would end. chaos would reign.” Morning Post: "For the past few weeks the National Government has stood between the country and disaster. It stands there to-day. The decision whether it stands there to-morrow lies in the hands of the electors.” Yotkshire Post: “This election may mean the regeneration of Britain. It may usher in an era in which the strife of parties and sections will he quelled, and honest able men may co-operate loyally without prejudice to secure the safety and prosperity of the nation. No man and woman can contemplate the alternative---the triumph of malevolent sectionalism, treacherous intrigue, faithlessness. 'fraud, all ending in national bankruptcy, ruin and disaster.”