REMARKS RESENTED

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 137, 6 December 1929, Page 13

REMARKS RESENTED

MR. KERR TAKEN TO TASK

DANGER OF PERSONALITIES

Declaring that from beginning to end of the campaign he would never descend to personalities of any description, Mr. Harold F. Johnston (Bef orm) expressed regret at his meeting at Moera last night that Mr. Kcrr, the United candidate, appeared to be in danger of falling into a career of personal abuse, which, in Mr. Kerr's own interest, he hoped would not continue Mr. Johnston said that ho had had handed to him a verbatim report of what Mr. Ken- had said at Koro Koro the previous night. It was as follows: "The Reform Party have such a ease to answer in this election that they were afraid to put their case in the hands of a clean, decent young man who would fight this election as clean as I fight. They held a meeting to choose a candidate, and this young man,_ who served the Beform Party by conviction, was turned down and a very astute lawyer was put in. He is hoodwinking to the best of his professional ability the electors of this country. Ho is a man who thinks he is talking to a jury, but I will tell you this: ho is talking- to a jury who can understand him and can see the lawyer in him. He can turn argument; that is his profession. He can talk on cases in the Courts, and try to make black look white. He is attempting the same tactics to-day, but is failing miserably People realise Eeform has no case. An honest man, a politician, would have been ashamed to stand on a public platform and advocate the Reform Party's policy, because such a policy is not what this country needs."

"I MAKE NO COMMENT."

Mr. Johnston said that insofar as the statement contained any reflection upon the legal profession, that profession could afford to regard it with contempt. (Hear, hear.) "So far as it contains a reflection on my honesty or integrity, or my character," proceeded Mr. Johnston, "I will ] ca ve it to my friends-to answer. I make no comment. So far as it contains a suggestion that I have unfairly displaced Mr. oacobson, who is the chairman of my combined committees, from the position of Reform candidate for this seat, I make no comment, but Mr Jacobson, who is my personal friend! and than whom I have no more loyal supporter, will 'himself reply.' 3 (Auplausc.) '

Mr. James Kerr told a "Post" reporter this morning in regard to a statement made by him at his Korokoro meeting which the Reform candidate referred to at Moera last evening as personal abuse, that his reference to Mr. Johnston was not abuse, but a plain recital of facts. Mr. Kerr will deal further with the matter at his meeting at Mocra this evening. °