MR. KYLE'S POSITION

RICCARTON CONSTITUENCY

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. .4.

"There has never been any question of my standing. I have always intended to contest the next Riccarton election, either as a National Party candidate or as an Independent," said Mr. H. S. S. Kyle, M.P., commenting on a statement by the chairman of the Canterbury division of the National Party, Mr. T. N. Gibbs. "The- announcement by Mr. Kyle that he is now an Independent satisfactorily settles the question of his standing, which has been in doubt for some time,'* said Mr. Gibbs.

"The National Party organisation has built up a watertight compartment that makes one become a 'yes man' with expulsion as the alternative," added Mr. Kyle. "As far'as I am concerned, I voted against tlie resolution in the National Party caucus that the six National Ministers should retire from the War Administration. Having done that there was no other honourable attitude for me to accept than the one I have. Hence my announcement that I would contest the next election as an Independent. I thought it much better, to retii'e from the party than to place a on it the onus of expulsion, a point which the gentleman who moved the resolution was expounding when I left the caucus meeting."

Mr. Kyle declared that his political actions over the last 17 years would stand review and nothing would give him greater delight than to explain them to his constituents when :the opportunity offered. - •■

"Surely the National Party realises the dangerous position the country faces at the present time," he commented. "Is it not more serious* today than it was three months £go, when the gentlemen now retiring from the War Administration thought" fit, as a war effort, to join the Adriiinistration? However, even if the National Government the National Party" had demanded had come into being,.,' no doubt the party would have adopijgd a similar attitude as that adopted under the present conditions." XX Mr. Kyle said that he had been..receiving many messages of congratulations on his attitude in placing 'the country before the party, from friends in and outside his electorate.

Mr. Gibbs, discussing the Riccarton position from the National Party's point of view, said that it had been considered by him with the chairman of the district electorate committee and a meeting of the committee would be called immediately to select a jpat'ty candidate in readiness for any ' eventuality.