THE COMING CAMPAIGN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 222, 19 March 1914, Page 7

THE COMING CAMPAIGN.

.REFORM ORGANISER IN THE NORTH I The "Reform" organiser was up against a warm proposition the other evening at the Bay of Islands, and his carefully-prepared speech was badly handled by a local man. The organiser, Mr, Paape. referred to the many things the Reform party Mitended to do if the present Government remained in power after next eleetioa The position so far, be said, bad been dilliciilt, atid he paid a tribute to the keen debating power of those upon the Opposition benches. He criticised the action of the Liberals in supporting the Labor candidates at the second ballot at the last two by-elections—Grcv and Lyttelton. In the Bay of Islands electorate, the situation, he said, was somewhat peculiar, in that there was a- danger of two candidates coming out in the Reform interest—Mr. Wilkinson, whom the party had to admit had loyally •supported Reform when they were almost hopelessly in the shades of Op position, and. on the other hand, .Mr. Reed, (he sitting member, who had joined them at a critical moment, wiien help was required. The speaker went on to add that it was largely due to the influence of the member for the district that others had gone over at the same time. For, this reason the Government could not turn Mr. Reed down. It was certainly an unfortunate position. lie added, but be hoped that the risk would not be taken of losing the scat by letting two Reform candidates go to (he poll.. This was the only electorate ill which there was such a tangle. Elsewhere the arrangements were most satisfactory. Tn the South Island they were confident, not only of holding their own. but of gaining at least two new ■■eats—Nelson and Wairau. He contended that the Liberals were losing cast with their own supporters, stating as a case in point that of Mr. Field, who had previously represented Otak'i as a Liberal, and would this year, he said, come out as a Reform candidate. Mr. R. T. Wrathall took exception in Mr. Paape's reference to the attitude of the Liberals in connection with the ja-cy and Lyttelton by-elections. The Labor candidate in each instance had onlv been a second choice at the second ballot. Did Mr. Paape forget thai Mv. Massey had set a precedent for that in supporting the' Labor candidate at Vur. (Ircy Lynn second ballot in 1011? Mr. Paape: Mr. Massey probably did not know then what Mr. Payne's' attitude would be. Mr. Wrathall: That cannot be so. for Mr. Payne had issued his farcical scheme 4.) weeks before the first ballot, and it was pulled to pieces by the Reform candidate in the Grey Lynn contest. Mr. Paape: I have to admit that I am not familiar with what happened ar Grey Lynn at last election. A further lively interlude then took place between Mr. Wrathall and Mr. Paape. in the course of which the former challenged different statements that had been made, and alleged that the last general election, when the final issue had to be fought out in Otaki beI ween Messrs Field (Liberal) and Koberston (Labor), after the Reform candidate had been turned down at the lirst ballot, Mr. Massey wired instructing Hie Reformers to support Mr. Robertson.