FIGHT IT OUT AGAIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 532, 8 December 1928, Page 7

FIGHT IT OUT AGAIN

MR. ALLEN BELL SUGGESTS BY-ELECTION BAY OF ISLANDS SEAT That he had taken no steps whatever to upset the Bay of Islands election and did not desire to do so, was announced by. Mr. Allan Bell yesterday. Such a course, he said, was regarded by him as unsportsmanlike, more especially as the unfortunate muddle had not been, caused by his opponent, but who. by law, would be compelled to pay the costs, amounting, probably, to several hundreds of pounds. Speaking personally, he had no wish to represent the Bay of Islands on the vote of the returning officer, or as a result of a petition to upset the election, which could be done on at least a dozen grounds. Ho felt that his representation of •he electorate was not in any way reflected in the recent vote cast; in fact, when the news reached him that he had been elected by one vote he had immediately written to the Prime Minister asking permission to resign the seat and bring on a by-election, which, stripped of the various side issues would reflect the opinion of his constituents with regard to his personal work. As far .as he was concerned the whole matter was now' left in the hands of his friends and supporters, whom he had informed that he would not be a party, either directly or indirectly, to upsetting the election, but that he had no objection whatever to an investigation of the votes by two Supreme Court judges, as provided by law. This would give his opponent, like himself, a fair sporting chance. If, under the unforrunate conditions that had arisen, Mr. Rushworth was prepared to resign and again contest the seat he would be more than pleased.