NO INTERFERENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20498, 14 May 1938, Page 8

NO INTERFERENCE

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS PRIME MINISTER’S DENTAL (By Telegrapn.—Press Association/ WELLINGTON, Friday “I have kept out of local body politics, and in that I have the backing of the national executive of the Labour Party, which considers it undesirable for Ministers to take part in municipal politics, unless, of course, they happen to be candidates,” stated the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hjn. M. J. Savage, to-dci\, in taking strong exception to a statement in a metropolitan paper that he had intervened in local body .elections with direct instructions to vote for all Labour candidates. "I deny having intervened in local body elections anywhere,” added the Prime Minister. "1 received numerous requests for messages in support of Labour tickets, and also many similar requests from individual Labour candidates, but 1 studiously refrained from complying with any of Ujem-”

SIGNIFICANT RESULT MR HAMILTON’S INTERPRETATION "ELECTORS RESENT INTRUSION” (By Telegrapn.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Friday Interviewed on his return from Taranaki, the Leader of the National Party, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, said that everywhere he had gone he liad met with enthusiastic receptions. When asked to comment on the results of the polling in municipal elections Mr Hamilton stated that the National Party did not favour taking part in elections for local bodies. The whole energies of the Labour Party's organisation, on the other hand, had been directed toward securing the return of its nominees in local elections, so as to obiain control of all borough and municipal affairs. It was obvious that the electors, without any help from the National Party organisation, had themselves resented this intrusion and registered their votes accordingly. "But the real significance of the result,” said Mr Hamilton, "is the defeat of prominent Socialists, particularly Mr J. Roberts, in Wellington, and Mr Mark Silverstone, in Dunedin. The plain meaning of this is that even in industrial centres the electors will not tolerate anything that savours of dictatorship.”

DENIAL REITERATED

FORMER STATEMENT USED (By Telegrapn—rreM Association) AUCKLAND, Saturday An emphatio denial was given today by the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, that he had intervened in any local body elections. Referring to advertisements published in Auckland, including a statement under his name urging support to Labour candidates, Mr Savage said those statements might have been taken from something he wrote three years ago when he was Leader of the Opposition. "I cannot say where they came from,” he added. "All I know is that I didn’t take part in any local body election.*’