ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 230, 28 September 1928, Page 5

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

ADDRESS BY MR. COATES.

VOTE-SPLITTING FEARED. APPEAL TO UNOFFICIAL REFORMER (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Prime Minister delivered an election address at Kilbirnie last night, on behalf of Mr. T. Forsyth, M.P. for Wei lington East. He said he had not gone there to intimate the terms of the manifesto which he proposed to issue to the country shortly. However, he made a statement of the Government's attitude toward unemployment relief works and public works.

Mr. Coates insisted that only two parties could claim the support of the people. Any third party that might arise must declare either for Labour or for the present Government.

Referring to the candidature of Mr. Forsyth, Mr. Coates said his selection •as the official Reform candidate was made in a perfectly constitutional manner and according to the constitution of the party, and it was not within his power, as leader of the party, to have it done otherwise than it had been done. He hoped Mr. J. J. Clark, who is opposing Mr. Forsyth as air unofficial Reformer. would consider the position carefully with a view to avoiding votesplitting. He held that Mr. Forsyth was justified in declining to go to a ballot with Mr. Clark, for although there had been changes in the area of the constituency, the sitting member had the right to contest the seat as the official candidate.

REFORM IN FRANKLIN.

MR. J. ST. MASSEY CHOSEN.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

PUKEKOHE, this day,

About 100 supporters of tho Reform party met at Pukekolie yesterday afternoon. for the purpose of selecting a candidate to carry the Reform banner for Franklin at the forthcoming general election. Almost every district in the electorate was represented. The president of the Franklin Reform League, Mr. F. Perkins, presided. Nominations were invited of persons qualified to stand in the interests of the party, but only Mr. John Norman Massev," of Puni, and second son of the late Mr. W. F. Massey. was nominated, and on a vote being taken he was selected unanimously.

Mr. Massey, in returning thanks, said he would pledge himself, if elected, to vote for Mr. J. G. Coates and his colleagues 011 no-confidence motions, but he reserved the right to vote as his conscience guided him on all other questions before Parliament.

A motion of sympathy with the retiring member, Mr. E. D. McLennan, on account of ill health, was also passed. TAURANGA SEAT.

mi;, f. colbeck selected,

Mr. F. Colbeck. of Morrinsville, has been selected by the Country party to con test the Tauranga seat at the general election.

Mr. Colbeck has been <1 strenuous fighter in the interests of the primary producer. He is a member of the Advisory Council for the Dominion of the Farmers' Union.

NELSON.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

NELSON, Thursday.

Mr. F. W. O. Smith, chairman of the Nelson Education Board, and a member of other local bodies, has been selected to contest the Nelson sent in the interests of the Reform party.