AUCKLAND NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 30 November 1931, Page 5

AUCKLAND NOTES

(From Our Own Correspondent). AUCKLAND, November 26. To-day (Nov. 26) is the 68th anniv« orsary of the date when a decision was made by Parliament to transfer the seat of Government to Wel.iiigton from Auckland, * * # *. . * . 'There has been tv very d r J’ spell up here lately, but a welcome rainfall during the past two or three duys has comforted the farmers, and the strawberry growers are sending in heavy crops of fruit. . # * * * Mr and Mrs Ward were in Auckland for a month’s holiday and left for Hokitika via Christchurch last- week. They were staying in Devonport and apparently enjoyed their visit and the surroundings of the popular marine suburb. Mrs Ward’s health appeared much improved by the chafige. Mrs Grimmond has also been in Auckland lately but left for south about a week ago. ****,',' Mr McNaugliton so long and favourably known on the West Coast, and who has been living in "Remuera for some time has been laid up during the past few weeks as a result of heart! strain. His numerous friends will be glad to learn that he is practically all right again. ■ ' - - *• * * *• . ~ V The one prevailing topic in Auckland just now is of course the elections. Considerable indignation is expressed at the evidently organised rowdyism at nearly all meetings- held by candidates —except the “Labour” ones. This may he a coincidence, but if not it is very bad tactics indeed. Comparisons have been drawn between the hooliganism which prevented Mr Coates making himself heard, and the perfectly orderly reception accofded Mr Holland, However, as >ve know it is the si'lent voter who probably never attends -political meetings at all who really decides the'issue at the ballot, box. r #■'*** There would be no uneasiness up this way as to the result of the election.,if the issue were a straight out pne as between Coalition and Labour. The' result would be a foregone conelusdu, an overwhelming victory 1 for the Government. But unfortunately there are a host of “Independents,” and to make matters worse the “Country” Party has up this way no less than six candidates. Considering that the Coalition is very largely representative of the country interest, and the majority of the Cabinet are farmers, also that land settlement and development is the main plank in Mr Forbes policy what reason there can be for the formation of a “Country” Party it is hard to say. Personal ambition and the desire to get in the limelight is no doubt the underlying cause of so many Indeperid. ents. But the danger of vote splitting is very great, and that is responsible for a certain amount of anxiety which will continue until the numbers go up next week.

Mr Holland in his address last night posed as a successor of Ballance and Seddon, and one of the old Liberals. This is rather amusing to the old West Coasters who remember the old dayg, and liow Holland and'his extremist colleagues were a thorn in tlie side of the Liberal party, and the late Mr Seddon in particular. * * * We have any amount of candidates up here of all sorts, sizes and conditions. We have even a real live Communist. I have his circular before me and was amused to learn from it that ‘‘Labour Governments have proved to be just as great a failure as any other in administrating Capitalism.” Rather vague, and rather ungrammatical but instructive in its way. Ilj is doubtful whether a Socialist-Communist combination would prove a very happy or lasting one.