DUNEDIN NORTH

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23260, 23 July 1945, Page 4

DUNEDIN NORTH

Government: Retains ' Seat Majority Of 738 ■NZ I’Ao DUN 11 >IN. July 22. I iiv a gn-.illy rrdureit majority, which 'an urvci Iht les,-. ;u ilainu.'d by Hu I .'hour i arty a, an adequate iiiaui;i iuii -u . . iiiu’.en- e in the Govcrnuunt. while heini; hailed by the Opposition as a tremendous virluty. the oHicial Labour < a.diJate, Mr it. U alis, leiained tin- ..at lor Labour .it the Dunedin ! Nur.h I>y-eie< tion on Saturday. Ou the preliminary count Mr Walls has a majority oi 738. a substantial recluc.r u on the majority 01 nearly 2890 gamed by the late Mr J. W. Munro at the last general election. Tile (lection brought lo a close a period oi intensive campaigning such as Dunedin has seldom seen, and one in whicn the organisation of both ;oru'. v. n-l:<-.1 at iii.h pressure and with considerable efficiency. The campaign v.us in e from personal recriminations anti actiamny. both candidates as well as the speakers brought from Parliament to support their respective causes sedulously avoiding the intro'a a < a mi 11it-.t anci tmseem.lv imputations. The result of the poll was:— R. Walls (Labour; .. 6316 N. 11. Jones (National) .. 5578 Majority for Walls. 738 In a statement after the result was made known the Prime Minister (the Kt. ibm. P. Fraseri said that in spite of attempts made by the Opposition io exploit .shortages encl other difficulties which tile war had brought about, tne electors ol Dunedin North had given Labour authority to proceed with its picgressiye policy. The result of the Ly-elcction had been very much as expected. Mr Walls was a good ■ andidale and hr liad done well to win the sc.it on the first occasion he had submitted him'elf tor election. His majorities would increase in future The Prime Minister added that the future of the Labour Govcrmnem waassured. At the General Election in 1.943 the polling was:—Munro iLaboi.m 8038; Cassie (National) £240; Keane (IndeOpposition Viewpoint Swing Against Dabour (N.Z.P.A.i WELLINGTON, July 22. "The figures in Saturday’s by-elec-tion are so decisive and clear that they speak for themselves.'’ said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Hol'and > to-day. "In one of Labour's safest seats they had their majority reduced from 2809 in 1943 to less than i’iri Siunrci'iy. with the possibility of the majority being still further reduced when absentee votes are counted." Mr Holland said the result was particularly interesting because there were no complicating factors such as Independent candidates. The Labour nominee was one of the most popular men in the movement, antj was very well known because of his many years service on local bodies in Dunedin. The National candidate was a brilliant young returned soldier quite unknown ' before his selection. He would certaintly be heard of again. "Two factors emerge with crystal clearness,” said Mr Holland. “First there is a big swing against the Government which, coming on top of our earlier successes in Awarua and Hamilton. one a country seat and the other a town seat, shows how widespread the swine really is. The second reason for the decision to vote National now : of so many p»'-ple who previously voted Labour lies in their discontent with 1 the Government over its determin- ' ation to complete its programme of . State Socialism and interference with the legitimate rights and freedom of ' the people. ! -Kn rlrniht Mr Fraser will claim the

JNO CIOUDt 1V1! r l aser «UI Claim me result as an endorsement of the Government's policy bitt the reduction of its majority from 2300 to less than 800 cannot be lightly put aside. It is the clearest possible indication that the Labour Party is steadily on the down grade. and has lost its grip on the people’s confidence. In view of this the Prime Minister should boldly decide not to proceed with his further programme of State socialisation pending the general election next year. Whether he is strong enough to overcrowing influence and power of the outside pressure groups, which decide what the Government may or may not do to-dav. and strong enough to bow to the will of the people remains to be seen. Saturday last was a bad day for the Labour Party.”