A MISAPPREHENSION

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 46, 24 February 1930, Page 10

A MISAPPREHENSION

MfMBERS NOT SECEDED

The statement of the United Party member for Kaiapoi (Mr. B. W. Hawke), to the effect that Messrs. W. J. Broadfoot (Waitemo) and .7. S. Fletcher (Grey Lynn) ,have broken away from the United Party as well ;ts Mr. H. R. Jenkins (Parnell) is denied by the Acting-Prime Minister / (the1 lion. G. W. Forbes).

Mr. .Forbes said th.it the parly did not look ou either Mr. Broadfoot or Mr. Fletcher as having seceded 'from it, and Mr. Hawke w:is under a misapprehension. "■Neither at tho caucus nor to m« personally did Mr. Broadfoot indicate in any way. that lie intended to leave the party and join the Independents," said Mr. Forbes. "When the member for Waitomo. spoke, lie discussed questions candidly, as is customary at a party caucus, but nothing he said could bo til ken exception to,. Tlic reason for liis leaving the meeting before it-ter-minated was a difference of opinion be had with another member. There was v disagreement, and hlr. Broadfoot said he.would leave the meeting. This he did. There was, however, no question whatever of his seceding from the party. ' As far as I know he is still a member of the Unitcrl Party.

"The same applies to the member for Grey Lynn," the Minister added. "Mr. Fletcher made his position quite plnin. He stated definitely at the meeting that he was not leaving the party,-but intimated, that he did not wish to attend

any more caucuses."