interesting constituency battles in the October 5 general election by focussing on Smith's South.

*** Solidly UBP since 1968, Smith's South could be the National Liberal Party's only chance to gain a seat in the general election.

Mr. Graeme Outerbridge was trounced in 1985, but in 1989 came within about 75 votes of snatching a seat for the NLP.

The question this year is whether that result showed dissatisfaction with the United Bermuda Party's Mr. Anthony Correia MP, who has since retired, or growing support for Mr. Outerbridge.

And how will UBP newcomer and lawyer Mr. Trevor Moniz fare running beside Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge, who has been safely ensconced there for 25 years? "A lot of people value the individual, rather than just the party,'' Mr.

Woolridge said. "That's why you can't take people for granted.'' In 1989, many in Smith's South voted for both Mr. Woolridge, who got 36 percent support, and Mr. Outerbridge, who received almost 24 percent. Mr.

Correia held on with nearly 28 percent, while Progressive Labour Party candidate Mr. Calvin Wales took 13 percent of the vote.

This year, dentist and sportsman Dr. Clark Godwin is making his first run for the PLP. Dr. Godwin, who has said he wants to attract voters "turned off by politics,'' could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Taking in the southern part of Smith's Parish from the Bermuda Drug Company to Pink Beach, Smith's South voters are nearly evenly split between blacks and whites. The constituency is mostly residential and middle class. Public open space includes Spittal Pond and the beach at recently-improved John Smith's Bay.

"People are concerned about the economy; they're concerned about jobs and tourism,'' Mr. Moniz said.

Mr. Outerbridge, a past NLP chairman who does not live in the constituency but has long family ties to Smith's, said he just keeps plugging away.

"It's been such a predominantly UBP stronghold that all I've done is work very hard,'' he said. "I just try to close the gap.'' Only Leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell holds a NLP seat in the House of Assembly. The party has fielded eight candidates for the October 5 election, but some observers say only Mr. Darrell and Mr. Outerbridge stand a chance.

The major parochial issue in Smith's South is Collector's Hill, described by resident Mrs. Joycelyn Marshall as a "traffic nightmare.'' Mr. Woolridge, who said he does not take the seat for granted and plans to be knocking on doors after he returns from a Tourism trip on Tuesday, said the traffic problem was being addressed, though not as quickly as he would like.

Mr. Moniz, who was born and raised in Smith's and beat UBP campaign chairman Dr. Grant Gibbons in an October primary, said planned improvements would solve 80 percent of the problems at the Collector's Hill-South Shore Road shopping area.

To remove parking from the front of the shops, Works and Engineering was waiting for A-1 MarketPlace to put asphalt on its rear carpark, he said.

But Mr. Outerbridge charged that the problem had persisted and worsened for years and Government was "throwing good money after bad'' with the present work.

A local development plan that would provide one entrance, one exit, and a service road to connect the parking areas was needed, he said.

Smith's South Candidates Dr. Clark Godwin, 37, dentist (PLP); Trevor Moniz, 39, lawyer (UBP); Graeme Outerbridge, 42, freelance photographer (NLP) Hon. C.V. Woolridge, 62, (UBP).

Electoral Hall -- Harrington Sound Primary School Electorate -- 1,484.

1989 election C.V. Woolridge (UBP) 657; Anthony Correia (UBP) 499; Graeme Outerbridge (NLP) 426; Calvin Wales (PLP) 233.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION