THE POLITICAL ARENA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 120, 23 June 1941, Page 4

THE POLITICAL ARENA

THE first shot in the forthcoming elections, as far as this district is concerned was fired at Edgecumbe last Thursday, when the sitting; member, Mr F. W- Doidge, with his colleague from the King Country, Mr W. J. Broadfoot, addressed National supporters and ventured a cryptic criticism of the Government in office. It was evident from their remarks that both were of the opinion that a general election was inevitable, and that it was time the party rallied to the fight. The pros and cons of an election during wartime have been thrashed in the public press sufficiently to need no further repetition here, t>ut the fact remains that there is 'still a large section of the community, strongly averse, to splitting public opinion at such a time. The prospects therefore are more uncertain than ever. Sixty thousand electors are absent with the fighting forces, leaving the remaining population to work out its own selection by the democratic method of the majority rules. It would be impossible to state whether or not the outcome would be influenced by the absentee vote, which may or may not be ta,ken. The fact remains that there is a possibility of this occurring, and quite apart from the political split which inevitably accompanies all general elections, we endorse In our own small way the opinion which held out for a coalition and the avoidance of the cost and factionalism of an election. A review of our own prospects (apart from that portion of our territory within the Tauranga electorate) leaves us singularly uncertain. With the present M.P. away on active esrvice, the seat may go uncontested as a courtesy to Mr Hultquist. On the other hand should the campaign warm up it is quite possible that the National Party may consider it has every right to test the feelings of the people at a very crucial time. The political swing is too fickle a thing to guage from year to year or from election to election. It may therefore be claimed that the people of the electorate have just as much a right to voice their opinion regarding who shall be the next Government in office, as those whose members are actively engaged in the election. The position remains in the air. To meet all possibilities however, it is very evident that both sides are preparing and war or no war, there is every reason to believe that a hard election lies ahead.