AUCKLAND EAST SEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1921, Page 5

AUCKLAND EAST SEAT.

OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN. LABOR AND LIBERAL NOMINEES. t By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The Auckland East by-election campaign opened to-night. Mr. Lee (Labor) outlined, the party’s platform oh proportional representation, nationalisation, pensions and other subjects. As regards housing he blamed the Government for blundering by competing on the open market. He urged a bold policy of expansion instead of panic retrenchment as the best solution of unemployment. He criticised expenditure on defence, saying the £250,000 spent on H.M.S. Chatham would finance the Arapuni scheme development works and the unemployment fund. The territorial system should be abolished, as the expenditure was an unnecessary burden. He received a vote of thanks. Mr. G. W. Russell (Liberal) also delivered a speech. He said that since April the Government had had £16.500.000 and he would like to know where the money had gone. He advocated proportional representation, contending that th? Government was in power on a minority vote. Hp favored a good contribution to the navy and a reduction in home land defence expenditure. Aviation should be developed and we should help the' Motherland with submarines. In telling why the National Government disbanded, Mr. Russell said that shortly before Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. Massey returned from the Imperial Conference most disastrous conditions existed in connection with the finances of the soldiers’ settlement scheme. A sum of £2,500.000 was owing and £5,500,000 more were required before the end of the financial year. He declared he could give sensational facts, but be refrained from so doing. Sir Joseph Ward, not having been consulted regarding the finances of this department, would not accept responsibility and in consequence retired from the Government. Mr. Russell received a vote of thanks and confidence.

Replying to Mr. Statham’s statement in regard to his candidature, Mr. Foster (Independent) says he had resigned from the new party solely because of health reasons before there was even a rumor of any vacancy pending or possible in Auckland. Feeling himself better and not forced to take an extended trip he decided to enter the lists. He deemed it unfair to approach the new party to overlook his resignation or o support him. The suggestion of treachery in “leaving them at the post was utterly uncalled for. . NEW PARTY LEFT AT POST. By Telegra/ph—■f’ress Association. Auckland, Oct. 17. Mr. Statham, M.P., before leaving for Wellington on Saturday, stated that his party would not nominate a candidate for the Auckland East seat in consequence of the extraordinary action oi Mr. C. H. Foster, who until recently was the president of the Auckland District Executive Council, in announcing himself as an Independent candidate, 'lhe new party has thus been left at the post.