NATIONAL PARTY

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 113, 23 November 1938, Page 4

NATIONAL PARTY

BAY OF PLENTY ELECTORATE EXECUTIVE MEETING’S ENTHUSIASM RECORD GATHERING REAFFIRMS SUPPORT . ' I Remarkable enthusiasm was displayed at a meeting of the executive of the Ray of Plenty branch of the National Party in Gisborne on Saturday night, when there was an attendance of about 50. Even during the recent election campaign such an attendance would have been something of a record and it called forth enthusiastic comment from the chairman, Mr. F. Short, of Qpotiki, and from Air. Gordon, chairman of the South Auckland Division, who made the trip from Hamilton.

Among other keen party supporters from Hamilton came Air. Day, whomAir. Short introduced as the new divisional organiser- Air. Day briefly adjiressed thm*»ieeting and assurcdjLherrT that -hyCyvjts not doing thefwork because lie needed a job. He -was entirely independent of political remuneration. He bad accepted the position simply, because be wanted to see the National Party returned to power, and he believed that the time was not so very lar distant when it would he. Air. Short congratulated the executive upon the wonderful organisation which it was obvious, he said, had not disintegrated with the adverse result of the election. He firmly believed the National Party’s defeat was a blessing for the Party. Had they been returned to power they might well have found that in reaping the harvest the Labour Government had sown they would have been in a most difficult position, a position which might have led to their defeat at the next election. If that had happened, it was his opinion that they would have found it very difficult to dislodge the Labour Party subsequently. “ft- would, appear fairly, obvious,’’ said Air. Short, “that the people in the main voted from their pockets.” He paid a glowing tribute to the candidate, Al;r. AY. Sullivan, who with Alls. Sullivan, was present at the meeting. Tile chairman said that he had spared himself in no way at all. The executive had made a very wise choice and at no stage had they lmd cause to regret it., Air- Sullivan had proved himself a most capable candidate and it was due to no fault or oversight of his that the Ray of Plenty seat had licit been,won. He had been unfortunate to a certain extent in that at.the time of the election a number of public works camps had been situated in his electorate, camps that had since been shifted. None of them had been large, hut in tlie- aggregate they probably accounted for quite a few votes and it was unlikely that the position would have been the same had the men outvoted in the Bay of Plenty. Air. Gordon outlined the position of the South Auckland Division, politically and financially after the election, and expressed keen gratification at luo ’splendid spirit which was evident, in the Ray- of Plenty, amongst Nationalist ranks on both sides of the range, lie said that the Division had reason, to be proud of its achievement at the election, for the results showed that it was .one of the most efficient divisions in the country, if not the most efficient.

.Mr. East, doctorate .secretary, addressed the meeting at some length, lcportiug upon the election result in detail and giving an analysis of the final fiimres. Ho reported upon the r<foiint in Opotiki, and provided some interesting information regarding Ivlliori voters.

.Mr. Sullivan liimsclf addressed the gathering and emphasised the need of retaining the National .Party organisation and continuing; to keep in personal touch with, electors of every shade of political opinion. Jie also thanked personally the exeeutiv.- for their efficient assistance, and said he. felt he had done everything lie could to win the seat. One recompense which nothing coin Id take from him was the host of iiiends lie had made during his campaign. He expressed keen appreciation of Hie hospitality flint' had been everywhere accorded to him and to .Mrs. Sullivan.

-\ large number of speakers tO'dpart in a general discussion, their opinions typifying the truth of the chairman's- statement that members of tiie party, so far from feeling beaten and blue about it-, were intensely eager to continue working for the organisation and to express their points of view in

an endeavour to assist headquarters. Several speakers said they thought the Party sheiuld he watchful and ready to contest an election at a moment’s notice- , The general .opinion was that no ono could tell what trend New Zealand politic,s might take'in the next two or- three years and the party should he on the quj vivo and. prepared for any eventuality. Among those who expressed this point of view was Air. K. Jones, the Nationalist candidate who contested, the Gisborne electorate. He stated that it had been one of the most difficult electorates in the country, due to- flue large numbers of public works men in it at the time. Nevertheless he intended to look to the future and aimed to' win the Gisborne seat for the National Party if it took him a life- ’ time. He congratulated the Bay of Plenty executive on their splendid organisation. It was stated that there was a possibility that Gisborne might lie taken into the South Auckland division and Air. Jones asked what steps were necessary to bring this about. Air. Day, in organising for South Auckland, ineluding Ray of Plenty, would be touch- t ing Gisborne, it. was pointed out, although under the present system ho would not he organising in the borough. Air. Gordon told Air. Jenes that a petition would have to come from the. Gisborne electors themselves to have Gisborne included in South Auckland. Eulogistic tributes wore paid to Alessrs Short and East, the electorate chairman and secretary respectively, beforathe meeting concluded.