PREFERS REFORM

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 932, 27 March 1930, Page 1

PREFERS REFORM

MR. JENKINS AND OFFICIAL NOMINATION WILL SUBMIT TO BALLOT feel I could do more to bring about a fusion against Labour if I were in the Reform Party than if I were an Independent. It seems to me,” said Mr. Jenkins, “that in the House an Independent member is a voice crying in the wilderness. If he belonged to a party he could devote his time to having his party’s measures passed.” announcement that Mr. Jenkins. whoso resignation front the House of Representatives has caused the by-election, had stated his willingness to join the Reform Leagu and. in so doing, abide by the result of the ballot by which the official Reform candidate will be selected, has created si ill further interest m the forthcoming contest. Interviewed this morning Mr. Jenkins said that shortly after resigning his seat he intimated that unofficial overtures had been made to him by members of the Reform Party. Ho had said then that, if the overtures were sufficienrly pressing he would consider standing in the interests of the Reform Party. If not, he would stand as an Independent Reform candidate or a straight-out Independent. Mr. Jenkins said he was not aware then that to be an official candidate it was necessary to belong to the Reform League. ‘‘lf I had known that I would not have made that earlier statement,” he said. “Since then several friends in. the Reform Party have urged me to join the Reform League, and they hope I will be selected as the party’s candidate.” REFORMER IN FIRST PLACE “In joining the Reform League f have intimated I am prepared to submit myself to the selection ballot by which the party’s official candidate is chosen,” added Mr. Jenkins. “I was a Reformer in the first place, and ir. was Mr. O. Moller who urged me t*» stand for the United Party. lie was also a Reformer and he has now left, the United Party. Friends of mine have now urged me to come out fox* the Reform cause and for the country generally, and I have agreed. Some w’ill criticise me and say this is the only time I have lacked independence, but I have taken this step for the reasons I have explained.” Confirmation of Mr. Jenkins’s state* ment has been given by the Reform League, which states that Mr. Jenkins has written stating hip willingness to sign up under the party’s constitution.

“SHORT AND SHARP” REFORM PROMISES HARD BUT CLEAN FIGHT PRELIMINARY MEETING “The contest will be short and sharp, but as far as the Reform Party is concerned, if the fight is hard, it will also be clean,” said Mr. J. B. Paterson in presiding over a large and representative meeting of Reform Party supporters at the Remuera Library Hall last evening. The chairman explained that the purpose of the meeting was to make the necessary preliminary arrangements for the selection of the official candidate in accordance with the party’s constitution. There were one or two withdrawals when he suggested that any prospective candidates in the hall should retire from the meet* ing. Mr. Paterson submitted a plan showing the proposed grouping of the area and the number of delegates to be appointed by each. The plan was generally discussed and was unanimously approved. Conveners and committees were set up for each area and these will proceed at once to arrange meetings to appoint delegates to the selection conference. No date has yet been fixed for the conference of delegates to select the candidate. UNITED CANDIDATE ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE MADE TOMORROW MR. HOLDSWORTH DECLINES “There is a possibility that we may be able to announce our ofh ciai candidate tomorrow/' said Mr. J. Trevethick, chairman of the Auckland provincial executive of the United Party, this morning. Another executive meeting was held yesterday afternoon. An invitation to contest the seat m the interests of the party was extended to Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, chairman of the Auckland ElectricPower Board, but he declined. Mention has also been made of Mr. J. J. Sullivan, but Mr .Sullivan states that such mention has no authority from him. .He further states that he is not a candidate, nor is he likely to be a candidate for the Parnell by-election.