QUESTIONAIRES

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3993, 5 September 1929, Page 2

QUESTIONAIRES

POLITICAL CANDIDATES

Wellington, Last Night,

Sir Joseph Ward, in answer to a question submitted by Mr. Broadfoot, in the IHouse this afternoon, said while he deprecated the practice by various organisations of addressing questionaires to members of Parliament, and to candidates at elections, it was difficult to see what could be done. 'He would however, have no objection to conferring with the leader of the Opposition and the leader of the Labour party in reference to the subject should they desire to do so. Mr. Bi’oadfoot read a letter to a London newspaper indicating that an arrangement had been made in Britain whereby the three parties had agreed to ignore such questionakes.

Mr. Coates expressed the opinion that the public had a right to ask candidates any questions it wished. The candidate had a right to answer in such a way that he would not be bound in the futuire.

Sir Joseph Ward stated it had been his practice to decline to answer such groups of questions and he considered this was the proper course to adopt. He considered the public platform was the correct place for a candidate to be questioned. It was absurd for a candidate to make promises that in ■some cases lie had absolutely no chance of carrying out.