POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1243, 9 May 1914, Page 2

POLITICAL.

THE OTAKI SEAT. The following letter has been forwarded to the secretary of the Reform Committee : “You inform me tha. your committee has been formed with the object of finding out which of us would be the stronger to ;un lor the Otaki seat in the interests of Reform. [The formation of the Committee for the purpose set out by Mr Brown is incorrect.— Ed. H,] I fully realise the stupidity of two Reformers running against one Labour candidate, and with a view of getting the wishes of the electorate, would make the following suggestion .-—That Mr Field and I hold joint meetings at Foxton, Shannon, Levin and Otaki. A; each of these meetings we shall put forth our claims to the Reform nomination in short speeches of, say, twenty minutes duration ; after which the voters present be asked to record their votes on printed ballot papers, as to the candidate they think most deserving and suitable to be the Reform nominee. The candidate receiving a bare majority of the aggregate votes of the four meetings to be awarded the nomination, and the other to retire from the contest. The meetings to be well advertised, and sufficient notice given to ensure a large and representative attendance. Neither candidate to make any attempt to “pack” the meetings, and the total expenses to be jointly shared by them. Representatives of each candidate to meet to draw up conditions, which shall be binding upon both or either. I make this offer with a conscientious desire to avoid the unhappy contretemps that was prepetrated last election.—Yours etc., Byron Brown. “Otaki, May 4th, 1914.”