BRITISH ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1929, Page 5

BRITISH ELECTIONS

TO COST Til 11JCK Ml I,LIONS. United Press Association—By Electric 1 elegraph—Copyi ignt). LONDON, May 17. At the coming general election there are now olticial candidates as loliows : Conservatives 590 Liberals 509 Labour 572 Conmuinists 34 Other parties 35 Total ... •. 1740 Monday will )>o nomination day and polling will take place on 3Uth May. With the approach of nomination day it is realised that the general election of 1929 breaks all records. The estimated cost of parties and candidates will total at least three millions sterling. There will be a record number of voters and candidates, while there were never so few uncontested seats, and never such an avalanche of literature, and such an orgy of talk; and owing to relaying by broadcasting there will be millions more listeners than at any previous election. 'Each candidate must deposit £l5O in cash, not cheques, with the returning which will he forfeited by him if he does not poll one-eighth of the total votes. Mr Baldwin’s son Oliver is the adopted Labour candidate for Dudley. To the exclusion of all else, the most striking feature of the election is the number of subjects of importance of which all are agreed the only difference-is the remedy. Fewer election results will he declared on the night of the. poll owing to the heavy increase in voters. As the polling stations are being kept open later there will he millions more votef? to count. As an JPstancc 7 of party activities a thousand open air meetings are being held in London alone between now and polling day. Though Conservatives in the past have not featured in street meetings, Conservative speakers keep the perils of socialism in the forefront, and are anxious'to deal solely with Labour, but-are at times forced to deal with the Liberal unemployment schemes. Labour candidates are not so keen on talking of unemployment but stress world peace disarmament , a free breakfast table and social reforms. The Liberals, however, are prepared to talk unemployment.

THE FOREIGN SECRETARYSHIP. LONDON, Aray 17. Sir Austen Chamberlain, in a speed) at AYcst Birmingham, announced that lie had accepted Air Baldwin’s invitation to continue as Foreign Secretary if the Conservative Party should return to power. ELECTION PROSPECTS. LABOUR PAPER’S VIEWS. (Received this day at 8.30- a.m.) • LONDON, May 17. The “Daily Herald,” surveying the election campaign predicts clear majorities over the combined Conservatives and Liberals in Scotland and Wales. “ AVales and Scotland will be overwhelmingly anti-Tor.v as in 1906,--with the difference that Labour will be triumphant.” The paper lias great expectations of the industrial north and midlands, while it forecasts agreeable surprises in rural and semi-rural areas of east Anglia, western and home counties. The general indication in the constituencies is that Labour is setting the pace, while the. Tories and Liberals, despite immense sums, make relative!}' little, headway.

In Liverpool, a great Tory stronghold. is cracking to its foundations, while in Birmingham the long reign of Chamberlain is ending. Tory seats will Jail like ninepins. VIGOROUS CAMPAIGN. LEADERS OF PARTIES TOUTt THE COUNTRY. RUGBY, May 15. The election campaign is proceeding vigorously in all parts of the country. over a thousand meetings being held every night. The leaders of the great parties throwing themselves with |o iCuutu ‘uSnaTmuo oijq. ojui a’S.iouo iheir speeches being relayed. The Prime Minister’s tour of the west of England includes a visit, today, to Newport, where he will address an open-air demonstration at which it is anticipated that between twenty and thirty thousand people will be present. To-night, his speech ut the Public Hall in Cardiff will he relayed to another open-air meeting. Tomorrow, Mr Baldwin will return to London for further meetings. Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s 800-milcs tour of Scotland began yesterday. Even greater distances will he covered in the Labour Leader’s tour of England next week. Air Lloyd George left London yesterday morning, and spoke at Llandudno, North Wales, at night. All throe parties recognise the need of making a special effort to enlist the sympathy and support of the new women electors.

Miss Megan Lloyd George and Airs Afinfringhain have already broadcasted for the Liberals. To-night, Aliss Margaret Bond field, who was the first woman of this country to he appointed

to Ministerial office, will broadcast for Labour, and on Friday night, the Duchess of Athol will present the Conservative case, particularly as it affects women and children. Particulars of the now register for H,o whole of Scotland, now completed, show that the total number of electors for the country is 2,900.000 compared with 2,000,000 in 1924. The number of women voters lias increased by 000,000. Ahile voters are in n majority in only 15 out of 70 Scottish constituencies.