ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN WANGANUI DISTRICT INCREASING IN TEMPO

Wanganui Chronicle, 3 November 1949, Page 4

ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN WANGANUI DISTRICT INCREASING IN TEMPO

With four weeks to go before the general elections on November 30, the campaign in the Wanganui district, which includes tour electorates, is now well into its stride and by early next week will have increased in tempo aa more party leaders or prominent speakers visit the area. In the Wanganui, Rangitikei, Patea and Waimarino electorates, the contest so lar is a straight-out battle between National and Labour and the issues are clear cut. Both parties are pnnging up heavy artillery early in the campaign and by early next week live prominent speakers will have visited the district. Highlights in the political arena are the visit to Wanganui tonight of the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser), who wilt speak in the Opera House, and the Leader of the national Party (Mr, Holland), who will be in the district tomorrow, speaking at Waverley at 1.30 p.m. and in the Opera House at S p.m. First Cabinet Minister to visit the district was the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Cullen), who spoke al Ratal last Saturday night in support of the<*> Labour candidate for Rangitikei, Mr. E. de Malmanche. Mr. Cullen will pay a return visit to the district tonight, when he will address a meeting in the Waverley Town Hall. Associated with him will be the Labour candidate for Patea, Mr. F. W. Finer. On the* National side, Mr. W. A, Sheat, M.P. Patea, will be accompanied by Mr. R. M. Algie (National, Remuera,, in the Gonviue Town Hall next Tuesday night. On Monday night, the Minister of Marine and Transport (Mr. Hackett), will support Mr. Finer at Castlecliff. With the exception of Mi'. J. B. Cotterill, M.P., Labour, Wanganui, who opens with the Prime Minister’s meeting in the Opera House tonight, all candidates in the four electorates have already launched their campaigns. Most of them have addressed several meetings, mainly in smaller centres, and as yet it is too early to guage public reactions. So far, however, the meetings have been friendly to the 1 speakers with few interjections. At- ■ tendances have been fairly good at some meetings, indicating that party supporters are rallying around their own candidates. Experience with past campaigns, however, has shown that attendances at meetings are little guide to the sway of political opinions. Compared with a few decades ago, when it was not uncommon for speakers whose views were not favoured by the majority to be greeted from time to time witn barrages ot' ancient eggs and over-ripe fruit, the political meetings of toaay are quiet and orderly affairs. Most people believe in fair play, and even if much heckling occurs, the popular wish of the audience is that the speaker should be allowed to express his views. Any undue disturoance is more likely to rebound on tha instigators than the speaker.