UNCANNILY QUIET ELECTION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 46, 6 November 1946, Page 4

UNCANNILY QUIET ELECTION

HAS partyism so segregated the two major factions now contesting the present election —the most crucial in the Dominion’s history to quote both sides —that neither side will bother to hear an opposition speaker air his views. It would seem that such were the case, if we are to make any dedue- * 'tions from the remarkably ‘quiet’ (almost disciplined) attitude of the various electoral audiences throughout this district. Nor is this unusual feature limited to the Bay of Plenty. All over the Dominion the remarkable orderliness and obvious sympathy afforded all speakers has given rise to widespread comment. Apparently party followers are only following the meetings of their own respective candidates, a somewhat unhealthy political practice, which must drive still deeper the wedge between Labour and National, and result in the creation of cast iron schools of

thought from which.there can be no Conversion. The campaign we admit has not intensified to the cresendo anticipated at the approach of polling day, but at the same time the first three weeks of the campaign have all but expired, and without a few hecklers, and at least a small crop of pointed questions at the conclusion of a candidates address a political gathering becomes a colourless thing, and fails to provide the candidate with a chance of showing his mettle or of proving his full worth.