CANDIDATES IN THE FIELD

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1931, Page 6

CANDIDATES IN THE FIELD

NEARLY TWO HUNDRED

FIVE MEMBERS NOT YET *' OPPOSED.

On present indications the number of candidates who will contest the sev-enty-.six European seats at the general election on Wednesday, December 2, will be in excess of 200, as" already there are' 195 aspirants for political honours who have declared their intention of standing for election. Three years ago 212 candidates went to the poll, but jn 1925 the total was only .67.

Very few candidates for election to the New Zealand Parliament have been returned unopposed since the sweeping victories of the Liberal Party in the early .years of this century, but there is a prospect of several sitting members being given a walk-over on December 2. Coalition members who are not yet opposed are Messrs A. E. Jull (Waipawa), H. G. Dickie (Patea), K. S. Williams (Bay of Plenty),' W; J. Broadfoot (Waitomo) and the Hon. J. G. C’obbe (Oroua). Three years ago Vhe; Labour .Party nominated candidates in Bay of Plenty and Waitomo, hut it may not do so this year as it is handicapped by lack of finance "in many electorates. This election the Labour Party seems to be concentrating its activities in those electorates where it can fely on a fair measure of support and it may not put forward as manv candidates as it did in 1028.

(LARGE TOTAL OF INDEPENDENTS

The designations of tlie candidates so far announced are as follow: Coalition United 2? Coalition Reform 38 Coalition 3 Coalition Independent 1 Total Coalition 69 Independent United ... ... 16 Independent Reform 15 Independent Liberal 5 Independent 24 Labour 50 Independent Labour 2 Country Party 7 Communist 5 Women’s Candidate ... ... 1 Fusionist 1 The Coalition headquarters are not opposing the Speaker, the . Hon. Sir Charles Statham,. in Dunedin Central, and have not announced official candidates for Auckland Central, Gisborne, Timaru, Bifller and Auckland East. In ttwo electorates, Dunedin North and Eden, there are five candidates, in nine there are four candidates, In twenty-one there are three, and in thirty-eight there are tests. Some changes may be expect-ed-before nominations close on Friday next, as some candidates now announced will probably withdraw, and a number of new aspirants for political honours are likely to come forward in the next few days.