GENERAL ELECTION

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 190, 20 August 1935, Page 2

GENERAL ELECTION

THE AWAEUA SEAT AN INDEPENDENT ASPIRANT (Per Press Association) INVERCARGILL, Last Night. At the reqnest of a deputation which waited upon, him, Mr Norman Maclntyre, of Tussock Creek, has consented to contest the Awarua seat at the general election. He will stand as an Independent.

MB F. W. DOIDGE’S REPLY

TO MINISTER’S STATEMENT

(Per Press Association) ROTORUA, Last Night. [ An emphatic denial to a statement made by the Hon. S. G. Smith, Minister of Education, during a political address at Invercargill on Thursday concerning free trade, was given by Mr F. W. Doidge, Independent candidate for the Rotorua seat at the General Election. “Mr Smith has in recent speeches twice declared that the fiscal policy I advocate, if carried into effect, would spell the end of every secondary industry in New Zealand,” stated Mr Doidge. “The policy I advocate would do nothing of the kind, and I would like to know whether cupidity or stupidity it whatl prompts the Minister to make this statement. A Customs union within the Empire is what I plead for. Always I have been at the greatest .pains to explain just what thatl policy means —a tariff war against the foreigner and the greatest possible measure of free trade in the Empire, bearing in mind that in the Dominions are certain well-established

secondary industries which must necessarily be sheltered. The Press throughout New Zealand has given my utterances on this subject the widest publicity. There can be no excuse for the Minister’s lack of understanding.” NATIONAL PARTY ORGANISER IN CHRISTCHURCH A definite assurance that the National Political Federation, which comprises the component parties in the Coalition Government, will contest all the Christchurch city seats at the General Election this year, was given recently by the Dominion organiser, Mr D. Ardell, on his arrival from Wellington on a brief organising visit.

Mr Ardell had an informal discussion with the Canterbury Executive of the federation.

The primary activity of the federation at present, he said, was the selec- • fion of candidates, and that was the

-- - n- — -H-I ' __*-*—«*«* ** mission which had brought him to Christchurch. No difficulty was being experienced in obtaining suitable candidates, and in great many cases so many were offering that an elimination process was necessary.

Where several prospective candidates were offering, the selection was made by representatives of the whole electorate by a ballot, and this procedure was working very satisfactorily. Mr Ardell said he was definitely of opinion that the election would l;e fought on the issue of Government versus anti-Government. The Government was well prepared for the campaign', and would put its case plainly before the electors. In regard to Canterbury, he could say that every seat would be contested, including the city electorates at present represented by Labour members.

No arrangements have yet been made for a Cabinet Minister to give a political address in Christchurch, but Mr Ardell said that it was hoped that it would be possible for a Minister to visit Christchurch at an early date.

When asked regarding the question of electoral reform, Mr Ardell said that that was a matter entirely for the Government to decide, and he could not offer any opinion. He thought it was probable that the election would take place not later than the second week in December, and that the session would end in time for a campaign of about six weeks.