NATIONAL PARTY

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 381, 12 March 1937, Page 5

NATIONAL PARTY

Leader’s Impressions of Recent Tour. Press Association —Copyright. Auckland, March 11. Complete satisfaction 'v<ith the results.- of his visit to North Auckland electoral districts was expressed by the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. A. Hamilton, on his return to Auckland. One of the most impelling impressions he obtained from his tour, he said, was the more serious and longer sighted view of politics being taken by farmers and the amazing amount of interest being taken by everybody in the affairs of the Government so soon after the election. Referring to a statement which he made at Whangarei that it was necessary for supporters of the New Zealand National Party to choose 59 candidates before the end of the year. Mr Hamilton said that there was no special significance to be attached to this except that there Were 59 seats which the -party did not hold. “It is our duty to get the candidates ready for these seats 1 if we are to win them,” said Mr Hamilton. “The selection of candidates before the end of the year is necessary, mainly in order to give selected candidates perhaps twelve -months to establish themselves the election takes place. It is hardly fair to candidate l to ask them on the eve of an election to contest seats. They ought to know in plenty of time —12 months before if posible. Mr Hamilton emphasised" the necessity for young people to interest themselves in political affairs. They had the future of the country in their hands and he had found from his tour that evidence was not wanting .that the younger generation Was beginning to realise their public res sposibilitles. In a large measure, at the next election the appeal to the country would be a straight-out contest. It would more effectively test and more correcly register whether New Zealand wanted to be governed by Labour.