EDEN BY-ELECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3021, 10 April 1926, Page 2

EDEN BY-ELECTION.

NEXT THURSDAY.

EPISODE IN THE CAMPAIGN

The Eden by-election will take place next Thursday, 15th April. Much interest in the coming triangular contest is being shown all over the Dominion. The votesplitting by Miss Melville (Independent Reform candidate) will increase the Labour cadidate’s chances of success. It is thought, however, that Sir James Gunson will pull off the victory with about a margin of 200 votes over the combined opposition.

A mild Labour demonstration added piquancy to Sir James Gunson’s meeting on Wednesday evening. It was early in the proceedings, when the candidate was dealing with forty-five years’ record of Reform in Eden, that one or two members of his audience interrupted by asking questions. Interruptions -which caused the candidate to remark: “I am not going to have the wolfo gang interrupting my meetings.” At' once therelwas an-up-roar, and voices from all parts of the hall demanded the withdrawal of the remark. Cries of “Withdraw the word” and “Apologise” were directed to Sir James. Sir James Gunson: “I am not going to apologise. If it does not come within the description of you, then it does not apply to you.”

Voices: “Who are the wolf gang? Your remark is an insult.” Sir James Gunson: “What I said was that I am not going to have wolf gangs coming round to my meetings and making interruptions. I was told before I began that the candidate was going to have it ‘put over him’ to-night. If the cap doesn’t fit, then it does not apply to you.”

A Voice: “You started it. Withdraw your remark.” The Chairman (Mr. M. J. Coyle): “Now, come on, give Sir James a fail’ hearing.” A Voice: “Why doesn’t he be fair? He is worse than Jimmy Parr.”

Sir James Gunson: “If I can do as much for Eden as‘ Sir James Parr, then I will be satisfied.” The atmosphere then cooled, and Sir James went on with his address. He was dealing with tho record of Reform in the last six years in providing funds to enable workers to be provided with 36,000 houses, when someone at the door interjected: “A woman was the cause of a man being thrown out of Eden before.” (Laughter). Sir James Gunson: “Perfectly true, but not this Eden. This is a new Eden. It’s more enlightened.”