POLITICAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 187, 22 May 1931, Page 3

POLITICAL

THE REFORM PARTY. MEETING IN ASHBURTON. FUSION OFFER OPPOSED. A meeting of supporters of the Boform Party was hold in the A. and P. room at Ashburton last evening. Mr James Carr, of Methven, presiding over an attendance of about 20. Mr D. Jones, M.P., was present, and dealt at some length with the recent fusion proposal and other matters. Other speakers were Messrs A. Hamilton, M.P. for Wallace, H. G. Livingstone, F. W. Freeman, and b. G. Holland, all of Christchurch. The following motion, proposed by Mr H. L. Barker and seconded by Mill. Maginness, was carried: —"That this meeting of Reform supporters, held at Ashburton, agrees with the statement issued by the Leader of the Opposition (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) in reply to the offer_ of the Prime Minister on fusion. "In the opinion of this meeting the reply sets out the position definitely and clearly, and the Reform Party should go to the forthcoming election with its own policy, being the only one that will be effective in restoring confidence and in the interests of the general well-being of the Dominion.'' Those present were formed into a general committee with the following executive:— Messrs W. Oakley, H. L. Barker, C. Maynardl, C. H. Hardy, H. McLean, G. Church, F. Frampton, A. Brown and H. Brown. Mr R, H. Loy was appointed secretary.

THE TIMARU SEAT. MR H. N. ARMSTRONG SELECTED. (From Our Own Correspondent). TIMARU, This Day. At a meeting of Reform Party supporters held in Timaru last evening Mr Herbert N. Armstrong was selected to contest the seat at the forthcoming General Election. ine selection was arrived at following a ballot, and it is understood that the other candidate was Mr W. T. Ritchie, a brother of Mr G. R. Ritchie (genera manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Co.). Mr F. J. Rolleston refused to consider contesting the seat this vear. ~ , + Mr Armstrong resides at present in Chalmers Avenue, Ashburton and is a married man with three children. He is a son of Mr G. Armstrong, who has occupied the position of Mayor o Akaroa for the past 27 years Up till about two years Mr H. N. Armstrong was farming in the Springburn district.

UNITED CANDIDATE FOR WAITAKI. TRIANGULAR CONTEST DUE. (Special to " The Guardian").CHRISTCHURCH, May 21. Mr G. S. McKenzie, of Sumner, has been chosen as the United candidate for the Waitaki seat at the next general election, and he lias leit for the electorate to make preparations for his campaign. At the previous election, the United Party did not have a candidate for Waitaki, and the sitting Reform member. Mr J. Bitchener. held the seat against the late Mr F. BCooke (Labour) by a majority ol --+VJ. votes The Labour candidate at the next election will be Mr Patterson, a retired public servant. " Mr McKenzie was engaged in the land agency business in Christchurch for some years, and he has also been connected'with auctioneering firms m Timaru and Waimate. He has business interests in the Waitaki electorate Mr Bitchener will again be the Reform candidate for the seat and a triangular contest now appears to be certain.

THE TEMUKA SEAT. LABOUR CANDIDATE POSSIBLE. For manv years past the contest for the Temuka seat has been a straight-out one between Liberal and Reform candidates. So far the sitting member, Mr 1. u. Burnett (Reform), and Mr T. H Langford (United), who unsuccessfully eontested the seat in 1928, are the only announced candidates, but it is stated that there is a probability of a Labour candidate being nominated as well.