RAGLAN BY-ELECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3696, 27 September 1927, Page 3

RAGLAN BY-ELECTION.

SIR JOSEPH WARD RECEIVES ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME.

That the people of the Dominion still retain warmth for their late Liberal leader was demonstrated by the enthusiastic welcome given Sir Joseph Ward on. his arrival at Ngaruawahia on . Saturday, where he about 700 electors in support of Mr. T. Parker, the Liberal candidate.

As Sir Joseph entered the crowd rose and applauded him, renewing the outburst when he began speaking. He trenchantly criticised the land policy of the present Government and dealt at length with the financial position, which he said was rapidly going from bad to worse. The national debt now stood at £283,000,000 having increased during the past two years by £18,000,000. The interest bill on the latter figure was increasing by £900,000 a year. The whole position called for a close review.

In addition there had been a shrinkage of £9,000,000 in the value of exports, while the revenub had' decreased and taxation had increased, now being greater per capita than for the whole of the Australian State.

iSir Joseph said he was prepared to support the present Government in any measure likely to give settlers’ the benefit of cheaper money or better land tenure.

Speaking at Raglan, Mr. W. Lee-Martin, the Labour candidate, continued to criticise the Reform policy and addressed representative gatherings. THURSDAY’S POLLING. FACILITIES FOR ABSENT ELECTORS. Wellington, Sept. 26. All registered electors of Raglan who are absent from the electorate on polling day, September 29th, will be entitled to record their votes on making application to any postmaster for a voting paper. A person who was on the Raglan roll at the last general election and who has become registered in another district will not, of course, be entitled to vote. Each elector will be required to declare that he is registered on the Raglan elcctoial roll, and is not qualified to be enrolled as an elector of any other electoral district. He is also required to declare that he is entitled to vote for the electoral district of Raglan. Personal application must be made at any post office during ordinary post office hours.