CHRISTCHURCH SOUTH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 May 1939, Page 6

CHRISTCHURCH SOUTH

MISS M. HOWARD’S POSITION. REQUESTED TO NOMINATE AS INDEPENDENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A definite denial that she had given any consideration to a suggestion that she should contest the Christchurch South by-election as an Independent Labour candidate in opposition to the official candidate, Mr R. M. MacFarlane, was made by Miss Mabel Howard today. Miss Howard said she had taken a pledge of loyalty to the candidate chosen by the National Executive of the party and that was where the question rested at the moment. This pledge had been given before the executive announced its decision and she would have to consider her position very seriously before she decided on an independent course of action. Miss Howard added that she had received many messages by letter and by telephone informing her that her claims to nomination would have been more strongly supported had it been * realised that there was any possibility of the executive’s [ choice falling on any other person. There had also been a number of requests that she should seek election as an independent. These placed her. in a most difficult position, for she had to take into consideration her loyalty to the party as well as loyalty to the wishes of her supporters. So far she had given the question of breaking away from the party not the slightest consideration. There was no question that the requests she had received were most pressing, but her only reply was that she had not considered acceding to them.