POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1922, Page 5

POLITICAL.

DECLINED WITH THANKS. SIR JOSEPH AND INVERCARGILL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Nov. 8. The following telegram was dispatched by Sir Joseph Ward to-day to Mr. Taylor, spokesman of the deputation which waited upon him at Invercargill, requesting him to stand for the Invercargill seat:— “After full consideration I very much regret I cannot see my way at the present time and under present circumstances to accept the invitation to contest Invercargill. I sincerely thank one and all for their warm and enthusiastic promise of support, which I shall ever remember with feelings of gratitude.”—(Signed) J. G. Ward. OPPONENT FOR HON. NOSWORTHY. Wellington, Nov. 8. ’Mr. George Wright, of Ashburton, a builder, selected by the Liberal organisations of that electorate to stand against Hon. W. Nosworthy, has been approved as an official candidate by the Liberal-Labor party. • THE LIBERAL CAMPAIGN. Wellington, Nov. 8. Mr. Wilford, Leader of the LiberalLabor Party, left for Auckland to-day on a tour of the northern electorates, where he will speak on behalf of his party. Hhe will address a meeting in the Town Hall. Auckland, on Monday night. Later,* Mr. Wilford will tour the South Island. MR. MASTERS AT INGLEWOOD. QUESTION OF VOTING LABOR INTO Office. At Mr. Masters’ meeting at Inglewood a written question sent to the Mayor by an elector who was not present was answered by the candidate. It said: “If, in the event o-f being returned to Parliament, Holland and Wilford were strong enough to vote the M.issoy Government out, how would you vote?

Mr. Masters replied: Tn the event of the Liberal-Labor Party having a sufficient number over tlu* othei parties the only thing we could do would be to take office and allow Mr. Massey and Mr. Holland to combine and put iw out. So far as any resolution Mr. Holland might move against the Massey Government, I would vote against Mr. Holland. (Applause.) Another written question from the same source: “Is Mr. Masters in favor of legalising bookmakers?” “I am afraid the JMayor has a guilty conscience,” repliedMbe candidate amid laughter. “For myself he need haye no fear that I will be a party to tempting anyone to bet with bookmakers.”—(Applause). “What would be your attitude towards licensing legislation if it has to be considered further?” was a question asked by a member of the audience.

Mr. Masters said it was not possible to give any proper answer to such a question, as he could not commit himself when he did not know the form that the legislation might take. Asked concerning the report that he had written a letter to a Stratford hotelkeeper swearing allegiance to the liquor party, Mr, Masters laughed, and asked the questioner if he were not joking. “No,” was the reply. Mr. Masters said that the person who made the statement knew perfectly well that It was a He. He had never wriitten to any hotelkeeper on the lines mentioned, and he added that if any o-f the audience heard of it again they could tell their informant what he was in four letters! —-(Applause.)

THE PREMIER’S VISIT CRITICISED BY MR. MASTERS. Speaking at Inglewood on Monday night Mr. Masters referred to the Rt. Hon. the Premier’s visit to Taranaki and especially to Inglewood. “I do not know,” he said, “how many years it is since Mr. Massey was here, but it is a long time ago. It’s funny that he is coming just at election time! It i’ the greatest indication of weakness on the part of any candidate for Parliamentary honors to seek the assistance of any outside help. If I cannot succeed without assistance, then I am not a fit man to represent you. My opponent was a member for eleven years and a Minister of the Crown for a time, and if he has to appeal for help to the Prime Minister to get him into Parliament then*he should not go down to Wellington amongst the eighty members, most of whom gained their seats without such assistance.”