WELLINGTON NORTH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 61, 5 December 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON NORTH

CHOICE OF A CANDIDATE

MEETING OF ELECTORS

A meeting of electors of Wellington North was held in the Kelburn Tea Kiosk last night to discuss the selection of a candidate to contest tho seat as tho successor of the Hon. A. L. Hordman. The meeting had beeir convened by Mr. but .he found himself unable to present, and in his absence Mr. J. D. Sievwright was voted to the chair.

The chairman read a letter from Mr. Wilson in which tho writer eulogised Mr. Herdinan warmly, but urged that the privilege of selecting a successor to him was one that should belong to the electors of the district. Ho mentioned as gentlemen wortliy of consideration Mr. C: P. Skerrett.and Mr. M. Myers. On his own behalf the chairman said that a few of the electors of tlio district had thought that the district should have a member who was a resident of the electorate, and not someone brought in from outside. It would be open to the meeting to discuss Mr. Wilson's suggestions as to who this man should be. .■■ ■

A voice: Does Mr.' Skorrott reside in ;he electorate?

The chairman: He is registered m this district. His name is on tho roll of Wellington North. A general discussion followed before any motion was put to the meeting. Some doubt was expressed as to whether the Government was irrevocably pledged to Mr. Luke, but a fairly complete assurance on this point was given to tho meeting by a gentleman who had already interviewed Mr. Massey on the advieability of selecting another caudidate. The answer was that the Government had definitely committed itself to Mr. Luke. Then it was suggested that Mr. Skerrctt should bo asked to stand, even against the nominee of the Government. It was explained that Mr. Skerrett bad already refused to stand unless he had tne support of tho Government, and that tins Mr. Massey had already declined to give. One member of the audience, however, Mr. E, B. Grange, related a conversation, which he said that ho had had the preceding day with a member of I the Ministry,,in which that Minister had said that if Mr. Skerrett stood he would have the support of the whole Government. '■• , It was considered, in view of the definite statement that Mr. Massey would not acccDt Mr. Skerrett. that his name need not be considered further, and the chairman submitted the following resolution to the meeting:

That this public-meeting of electors of Wellington North resolve itself into a deputation- to the Prime Minister, asking him to approve of the candidature of Mr. M. Myers (subject to his consent), a gentleman resident in the electorate and chosen by a substantial body of electors, being a supporter of the National Government for the war period, to represent the constituency in the New Zealand Parliament. The motion was seconded by Mr. M'Utvraith. ... -Mr Grange maintained his allegiance 'to Mr. Skcrrett, and he moved that Mr. Skerrett be the candidate submitted to Mr. Massey from the meeting. This proposition was seconded by l)r. Kington Fyfe, who stated his opposition to Mr. Myers as a candidate. The chairinau was on the point ot putting these propositions to the meeting, when Mr. Wilberfoss submitted an amendment. Mr. Wiftarfo»s motion was eventually carried by the meeting without dissent, both of the other proposals being withdrawn, in favour of it. Following was tie shape in which the motion was agreed to: That a- strong committee from this meeting wait upon the Prime Minister, and convey to himi the feeling of the electors of Wellington North that unless some consideration is shown to the feelings of the people in this district in the selection of a candidate, there is a danger of the Government nominee not being supported; and further that Mr. Massey be asked to consult with this committee as to the selection of a candidate.

In the discussion of these various proposals there was only one champion of Mr. Luke's candidature He wis Mr W. Bntchef, and his plea was that it was the duty of the electors as \Z\ people to support the nominee of the win-the-war Government, until the end of the war. Then.there wonld be another election, and it would be open to the electors of the district to mate their own choice of a candidate Bv an interjection or two it appeared that Mr. Butcher was not the, only norson in the meeting of this .Jpminii. One of the points he made repeatedlv was that if the selection rested with Sir Joseph Ward, there would have been no opposition from the friends of the other party in power in the bovernment. ~ The next business was tite setting up of the committee, and the following: penffemen were appointed :-Meßsrs. Wfoss, Peel A. K We, R,: Sinclair, R. "Wilson, J. Muir, F, Johnson, J. Macintosh. T. Wilson, F. W. Mariton, A. H. Miles, Gold, L. George, IT. Buddie. A. de B.Brandon, W E A. Gill, C. B. Morison. F. Hartfield, D. tt. Mouzics. W. G. Talbot, J. D. Sievwridlt. H. F. Yon Hnast, _Monerioff, T. B. Ching, A. Young. H. \\. Kersley. Inn Duncan, B. Willis, J . Smith, J. Stewart, C. P. Skerrett, M. Myers, Professor Mackmrae, Dr. Oahiil, and Dr. Herbert, with power to add to their number. , It was left to the chairman of the meeting to make arrangements for tho interview with Mr. Massey.