AWARUA BY-ELECTION

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22492, 30 October 1944, Page 4

AWARUA BY-ELECTION

Although it was generally expected that the National Party would retain the Awarua seat at Saturday’s by-election, the margin of votes in favour of that party’s candidate probably came as a surprise to the Government party. It has been made clear that there has been a considerable shift in political opinion in the electorate since the last poll in 1938. On that occasion Brigadier Hargest won the seat with 5224 votes against 4564 polled by the Labour candidate, a majority, of 660. It should be remembered that on that occasion also the personality of Brigadier Hargest was a telling factor, while this time the National candidate, Mr Herron, is a newcomer to national politics. The two main parties in the election campaign left nothing to chance. Powerful batteries of speakers stumped the electorate throughout the final week to ensure that both platforms were thoroughly understood. The National candidate’s majority of 2101 votes is an indication that there has been a substantial swing in political opinion which probably is not confined to Awarua. This trend became manifest at the general election a year ago and may have progressed considerably since then. Labour has been in office for nine years, and although on the whole circumstances have been very much in its favour politically, the measure of control of the lives of the people which the party has thought it wise to take is having its effect on the public mind. Restriction on the freedom of the people to some extent is inevitable in wartime, but New Zealanders are well aware that many of the controls which are now in force are in accordance with policy and are not only the result of the emergency. Many of yiem were inaugurated before the war began. In addition the Government is beginning to suffer from political age, which always has its effect on any governing party.