EDEN SELECTION BALLOT

Hokitika Guardian, 19 March 1926, Page 1

EDEN SELECTION BALLOT

MI.SS MELVILLE PROMISES FACT’S [HY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, March 10. On the advice ol her election committee. Miss Melville has decided, in view of ,he great interest being taken in the position in Eden, and of rumours that are being circulated, to hold a public meeting in the electorate on Friday evening. At this meeting Miss Melville proposes to place some interesting facts before the electors. At a largely-attended meeting of the Mount Albert branch of the Reform League, the following resolution was unanimously carried: “That this meeting, after having inspected the Kosie Theatre, and heard statements from the delegates, is fully satisfied that the selection of the. Reform candidate for the Eden electorate was carried out in a satisfactory manner, and that all the proceedings wero above reproach, no preference having been shown to any one candidate.’’ “ Further, that this meeting is perfectly satisfied that all candidates who were in the theatre had free access to the street, although prevented from entering the room where the Selection (‘oonferonee was in session.’ ’

Afembers of the Reform League Committee who visited the theatre state most emphatically that there is access from ihe circle of the theatre, where the candidates for selection sat, by means of a. stairway, and that candidates could have left the theatre by the door on the ground Itoor, if they had so wished. They say that the candidates were thus not locked in. but. that the door locked behind them was to keep them away from the room in which the delegates were assembled. They further declare that the statement that Air Davey, the organiser, was in cnmmunicaion with Sir James Ounson, who was standing by his motor-car on the opposite side of the street, is incorrect, except that AftDavey went out once to inform Sir James that he had drawn fourth place, in the order of speaking.

DEPUTATION TO AITSS AfELVTLLE

AUCKLAND, Afarcli IS

A request from a large deputation of women that she should reconsider her decision to stand as an Independent Reform candidate for the Eden seat met with an unqualified refusal from Afiss Ellen Alelville to-day. The deputation contended that Afiss Afelville had broken a pledge not to stand in opposition to a selected Reform candidate. Afiss Afelville, in reply, gave it clearly to lie understood, that she had not the least intention of withdrawing from her position. Afiss Afelville pointed out. that she had not, in fact, given any pledge. AYhat she had given was an undertaking. It was a contract between two parties, and when that contract was broken by one side, then it was not binding on the other side. The Reform Party, in the first place, had not kept faith with her. She believed that everything that transpired in the delegates’ room on the night of the selection was in order, but she alleged there were grave irregularities preceding that date. Afiss Afelville stated that she intended to make these irregularities public at her approaching meeting. The members of the deputation held a meeting afterwards and they expressed the opinion that if Afiss Afelville persisted in her present attitude, they could not be associated with her in any way in future, and they further thought it only right to make public the subject matter of their decision.