NATIONAL PARTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 281, 26 November 1937, Page 8

NATIONAL PARTY

ORGANISATION WORK THE AUCKLAND PROVINCE "If the Government were to spring a general election early in the new year, as some people anticipate, we should not be caught napping. The National Party’s organisation in the Auckland Province has taken a definite shape, and the next few months will see it a really effective fighting force,” said the chairman, of the Auckland divisional executive of the party, Mr. George Mills, in an interview at the week-end. The National Party's task had been a difficult one, Mr. Mills continued. At the 1935 general election an organised minority had triumphed over an unorganised majority. The anti-Socialist vote was split into four factions—Reform, United, Democrat and Independent—and after the poll everything was in a state of flux. The aim and purpose of the new National Party has been to bring all these groups Into one political organisation. "In this we can claim to have succeeded," Mr. Mills said. “In every const! tivney our membership shows that the task of consolidation has met with the response we hoped for. As many people know, I have been all my life a Liberal, and I figured as one of the executive of the old United Party. Today I find myself surrounded, in my executive, with men who before the last election were prominent as members of the Reform and Democrat Parties, or as Independents. The same happy state of affairs prevails in the constituencies. The executives in every case include those who formerly led opposing political groups in their districts." Selection of Candidates Another of the tasks confronting the National Party had been to prevent vote-splitting at election-time. This was essential, because the Socialist candidate was always assured of a block vote. Under the system adopted by the party, every Nationalist candidate at the next general election would be the genuine choice of the party members in his constituency. The aim was to have in each electorate, before the selection was made, not less than 2000 members who had enrolled and paid their entrance fees. Where a candidate was assured of the support of 2000 electors, the risk of a split vote on election day was reduced to the minimum; in fact, it was practically eliminated. Many of the constituencies in the Auckland Province were now on the eve of choosing their candidates. Decentralised Organisation The internal organisation of the National Party in the province had been worked out on what Mr. Mills believed would prove to be a most effective basis. The area for which the divisional executive was responsible extended from North Cape to the centre of the island, and as the Waikato and Bay of Plenty districts comprised a number of vitally important const!- 1 tuencies. These had lately been brought together in a sub-division, under an able and representative executive, the chairman of which was Mr A. Gordon, of Hamilton. Further than that, sub-groups had been established, such as the south-eastern group, which incorporated Tauranga, Rotorua and Bay of Plenty. One effect of this decentralisation had been to stimulate membership drives, and many constituencies already showed a considerable surplus over the minimum of 2000 members. Strong Support from Women. Another phase of organisation which showed very encouraging progress was that directed by the Women’s Division, under the chairmanship of Dr. Hilda Norihcroft. The organisers reported that never before had women displayed such an extraordinarily keen interest in active politics, and it was certain that at the election the effect of this would be strongly felt, probably more so than ever before in the history of New Zealand. Of the 20 Auckland seats held by Socialist members, said Mr. Mills, most had been won on a minority vote. If the National Party succeeded in its aim of welding all the anllSocialist forces together, the next election would be a series of straightout contests and there should be no room for doubt about the result.