PARNELL ELECTION CONTEST

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 944, 10 April 1930, Page 1

PARNELL ELECTION CONTEST

All Parties Preparing LABOUR FIRST IN THE FIELD Interesting Situation at Newmarket LABOUR will be the first party actually in the field in the Parnell by-election, Mr. T. Bloodworth, the Labour candidate, having announced that he will address electors at the Remuera Library Hall on Tuesday evening.

Although campaigning in the form of addresses to friends and supporters has already started, none of the randidat.es has yet addressed a public meeting. Mr. W. A. Donald is speaking to friends and supporters at green Lane this evening, but he does not expect to address a public meeting until April 22. As the electorate is very easily worked, the parties concerned do not think there is any great need to start the campaign in real earnest until after the Easter holidays. Reform delegates will meet at the Remuera Library Hall this evening to choose the official candidate from the four nominees. Those seeking endorsement are Mr. H. R. Jenkins, Mr. J. S. Dickson. Mr. W. P. Endean and Mr. R. Glover Clark. The arrangements in connection with the selection ballot were reviewed at a meeting of the Parnell executive of the Reform League last evening, when the opinion was expressed that the subject had been dealt with in a thoroughly constitutional and fair manner. A meeting of supporters of the Reform Party will be held on Saturday evening. Mr. Bloodworth's supporters will meet at the Remuera Library this evening. BY-ELECTION HOLIDAY ONE SIDE OF BROADWAY AFFECTED HOTELS AND SHOPS As a result of the provision in the Electoral Act for the closing of shops and hotels after midday on the day of any election, an interesting situation will occur in parts of the Parnell electorate, particularly in Broadway. The centre of the Manukau Road, which runs through Broadway, is the electoral boundary, which means that ihe shops on the eastern side will have to close down during the afternoon while those on the other side will carry on business as usual. If the date of the election falls on one of the busy mid-week days the compulsory half holiday no doubt will not be appreciated by those shopkeepers affected, and certainly less by tlje proprietor of the only hotel in the Parnell electorate, which is situated on the eastern side of Broadway at the Khyber Pass end. The hotel opposite and the one at the other end of Broadway will be much more fortunately situated on that day at least. MAY OPEN SATURDAY

The Act lays down that where the Polling day at any election is other than that appointed as the weekly' half-holiday under the Shops and Of-

fices Act, the provisions of that act relating to the weekly half-holiday shall be deemed to refer to the polling day' in lieu of the day so appointed, which, in effect, means that the shopkeepers on the Parnell side of Broadway who have to close down on the afternoon of polling-day may remain open on the Saturday afternoon if they so yvish. It is not necessary for any factory to close during working day's, but the occupier of the factory is required to afford each Employee a reasonable opportunity of recording his vote. The situation recalls a still more interesting one which occurred at the Auckland East by-election in November 1921, when the shops on the eastern side of Queen Street had to close while those on the other side remained open. The boundaries of the Parnell electorate are as follow: Starting at Point Resolution the boundary' runs along St. Stephen’s Avenue to Manukau Road. Manukau Road is followed from that point through Newmarket, as far as Green Lane. The boundary traverses Green Lane, turning thence along the Great South Road, Walpole Street, Morrin Street, running south of Lake St. John, and then by a more or less direct route to the Tamaki River at a point a little south of Point England. For the rest the boundary is a natural one, running along the west bank of the Tamaki River and the sea coast past St. Heliers Bay and Kohimarama, across Hobson Bay to the starting point at Point Resolution. ELECTORAL ROLL MAY CLOSE TOMORROW ABSENTEE VOTES Although no definite statement has yet been made it is expected that the writ for the Parnell by-elecion will be issued tomorrow, in which case the electoral roll will close at six o’clock in the evening. After that time no further names can be included on the roll for the by-election. Electors who are not on the roll and who have not yet applied for inclusion should apply to the Registrar of Electors, Law Court Buildings, High Street, without delay. If the writ is issued tomorrow, as expected, the registrar’s letter box will he cleared promptly at six o'clock, after which no further applications will be received for the present election. The same facilities lor postal and absentee voting will be available as in the case of a general election. Electors who will need to take advantage of these facilities will require to apply to the Returning Officer, Mr. Lovell, care of the Valuation Department, Law Court Buildings, High Sti-eet.