ELECTION ISSUE

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1931, Page 6

ELECTION ISSUE

MR LLOYD GEORGE'S PLIGHT. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, October 24. The only speculation now in connexion with the General Election is the size of the National Government’s majority. Mr Lloyd George’s latest utterance, while interesting, is not considered likely to affect the issue except perhaps in Wales. The election campaign is proceeding quietly to its close. While singularly uneventful, all the up-to-date methods are operating, aeroplanes, speed boats, motor-launches, and talkie vans being utilised for propaganda. Twelve Conservative talkie vans addressed 1200 meetings. A single van attracted a crowd of 6000. A number of candidates attract crowds at open-air meetings by means of songs and .speeches from gramophones.

There are 29,523,692 electors, or 668,944 more than in 1929, divided into 15,614,947 women and 13,908,745 men. Restaurants everywhere are arranging special dinners and dance suppers -at which the results will be shown or announced up to two o’clock in the morning. The number of counts on Tuesday night will be slightly larger than in 1929, but some results will not be known locally until two o’clock in the morning.’ The results expected on Tuesday night total 215, and on V ednesday 315. The result of Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s contest at Seaham (Durham) is ] not expected until Wednesday afternoon, when also Mr Winston Churchill’s and Sir John Simon’s results will be known. Generally speaking only the results of towns will be known on Tuesday night. A PARTY OF SIX. Mr Lloyd George is now described as a leader without a Party unless it is the Labour Party, for the newspapers tabulate only six Lloyd Georgians—himself, his daughter, Miss Megan, and his son, Major Lloyd George, Major Goronwy Owen, Mr Frank Owen, and Mr Edgar Wallace (the (novelist). Lord Grey of Fallodon and other Liberals repudiate Mr Lloyd George’s advice to Free Traders to rote foi Labour, ’Lord Grey expressing the opinion that the Labour Party’s policy is fraught with disaster. Lady Houston resents the Conservatives being led by Mr Ramsay MacDonald. Her yacht Liberty, in 'Southampton Water, displays an electric sign: "Down with Ramsay MacDonald, the Traitor.” The yacht is reported to be going into Seaham harbour during the week-end. RESENTED,,-,,;. , Most people preferred to forget the fleet incident at Invergordon, but the co-operative societies have issued a news sheet to help the Labourites in which a printed battleship, Hanked by photographs of the ex-Kaiser and the Rt. Hon. Montagu Norman (Governor of the Bank of England), with the captain, "The Navy at Jutland in 1914' beat the Kaiser ; at Invergordon in 1931 it beat Norman.” „ The ‘‘Evening Standard’ diaristasks, “Does this meet with the approval of. Mr Alexander, the ex-First Lord of the Admiralty, who also is one of the pillars of the co-operative movement?” “The Daily Express” describes it as the most disgraceful act- .in the election campaign', and declares that the whole nation will be roused to anger by this insolent and seditious libel. SAVINGS BANK DISCLOSURES. LONDON, October 26. . Mr Rune-man’s disclosure that a substantial part of the Post Office Saving Bank funds in April and early in August was lent to bolster the depleted dole fund, and Mr Henderson’s statement that it need not cause anxiety in the minds of depositors, led both Mr Snowden and Mr MacDonald to reveal that the savings had hefcn in peril, but were now averted, thanks to the steps of the National Government MR SNOWDEN’S HOPES. LONDON, October 26. “I am sure there is going to be an overwhelming majority for the National Government,’’ said Mr Snowden in a final survey’. “All of my information is that there is going to be a big Labour slump.”