Sidney Holland was the first National Party Prime Minister of New Zealand, serving from 1949-1957. Although his face emboldens this cinema advertising slide few people directly voted for him at the time- the First Past The Post electoral system meant that you only voted for your local candidate. However, as party leader Holland was presumptive Prime Minister if his party took power.

Slides like this one would have been screened across New Zealand by almost all political parties. MAVtech has a range of these slides which we are uploading to Kete. Interestingly, Holland's is one of the few we have with the portrait of the party leader.

Political slogans have changed over the years and this 1950s cinema electioneering slide shows by just how much! Most political parties do not employ forceful slogans like this one today. The message of this slide comes across as an order rather than an appeal about policy or values!

However, there may be an explanation for this. The first National Government called a snap election during the 1951 waterfront strike (also known as the waterfront lockout) which lasted for 151 days, involved 22,000 striking workers and the passing of emergency legislation. Prime Minister Sidney Holland called a snap election on the issue of managing the strike. 

Given the air of emergency which existed at the time, this slogan would make a lot more sense. However, there is no concrete information to suggest it was made during this election.