THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Otaki Mail, Volume 27, 21 November 1919, Page 3

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

FIXED FOB DECEMBEB 17tfc. i Eltham, November 20. - ' The Right Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, announced to-day that the General Election will take place on .Wednesday, 17th December. ME MCKENZIE AT WAIHANAE. Despite the wet weather there was a good attendance present to hear Mr J. McKenzie, the Labour candidate, on Wednesday night at Waikanae. The candidate dealt with.Mr Field’s statement, to the effect that the cost of living in Queensland had increased to a greater extent during the war than had been the case in New Zoaland, pointing out that if the increases in boots, clothing and hardware were taken into account the effect was to make the increase in the cost of living in New Zealand much greater than the statistician's figures indicated. He also reminded those present that a stoppage of the railways was something not unknown in this country, and that the Railway Department only succeeded in showing a credit balance because the Government transferred nearly a quarter of a million sterling from the Defence Department under the guise of giving the returned soldiers free travelling, thus really subsidising the Department with the taxpayers’ money. At the close of the meeting a vote of thanks and confidence was unanimously accorded the candidate, and a strong committee was formed to further his candidature. MB FIELD AT MANAKAU. Despite the short notice given, there was a good attendance at Mr Field’s meeting at Manakau last night Mr O. Nees, J.P., occupied the chair. Mr Field’s address was on similar lines to that given at previous meetings, and he was listened to most attentively. At the close of the meeting a vote of thanks and confidence was accorded tho speaker, on the motion of Mr G. Duncum, seconded by Mr It. Bovan. Tho meeting closed with the usual compliment to tho chairman. No questions were asked. . Mr Ishorwood is advertised to give an'address at Waikanae on Monday night next. Thus the “Foxton Herald”: Things arc a bit mixed in the Otaki contest. The real live candidate there appears to bo McKenzie, the Labourite. Mr Field says if elected ho will support the party which has the biggest following! Well, there isn’t much to choose between the platforms of the Reform a*a Liberal leaders. It’s against tho mles of Rugby to play off-sido, though, WiliiC. In his address at Tawa Flat on Wed- , nesday night Mr E. Macdonald, after i making a personal explanation re Mr . Field’s remarks about his candidature, naid “ho had hoped, whatever the c issue, to have shaken hands with his < opponent at the close, but Mr Field had f finally forfeited his respect.” A voto , of thanks and of confidence in Mr c Macdonald was carried unanimously. < says the “Post.” 1 The “Manawatu Herald” says tho contest for tho Manawatu seat between t the Reform aud Labour candidates pro- f mises to be about the slowest affair yet experienced in the political history < of the district. Both candidates are i anything but attractive platform speakers —they lack “ginger,” and , that’s what'tho New Zealander appTO < elates when ho attends a political meet- : ing. It doesn’t always follow, how- s ever, that the candidate who talks most glibly catches the largest number of votes, but Messrs Newman and i Hillier aro funereal. A bit of Byron i Brown is needed to stir things up, adds thß “Herald.”