THE BULLER SEAT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 17, 31 October 1933, Page 7

THE BULLER SEAT

MR P. C. WEBB'S CANDIDATURE.

MINERS' ALLEGED OPPOSITION.

(Per Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, October 30. It is learned on good authority that there will be organised opposition to tlie candidatture of Mr P. U. Webb, official Labour candidate in the byelection in the Buller electorate caused by the death of the" Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party (Mr H. E. Holland). Steps will be taken to have urged on the .National Council of the New Zealand Labour Party that Mr Webb's nomination be withdrawn, or, failing that, that the miners in the electorate will nominate somebody to oppose him. The National Council of New Zealand Miners, which sat in Christchurch for three days last week has come to certain important decisions in respect of Mr Webb's candidature,.and has decided to hold meetings throughout the Buller electorate, starting today, at which recommendations will be made. The principal recommendation will be that the National Council of the New Zealand Labour Party be asked to withdraw immediately Mr Webb's candidature. Failing that being agreed to the miners will be recommended to put forward a candidate of their own. Mr Angus McLagan has been mentioned in this connection. Strong disapproval of Mr Webb being put forward as a miners' candidate was expressed, and it is understood that the objection to Mr Webb is based on his activities as a distributor, of coal won by, co-operative effort. It is pointed out that co-operative miners have continued to work on different occasions when other miners have been engaged in strikes or disputes with the coal-owners, and the feeling is that by their actions the cooperative miners have prejudiced the position of other miners with the result that hundreds of them have lost their employment.! It is considered that Mr Webb has forfeited his claim to the support of miners by his activities in connection with co-operative mining. It will be recalled that when nominations were first sought for this elee- j torate Mr'J. Smeaton, chairman oi the National Council of Miners, was nominated, among others, but that his nomination was declined by the selection committee in Westport, and it was stated that the reason was that the National Council of the New Zealand Labour Party had put forward Mr* Webb's nomination, this body having the final choice. _ If Mr Webb's nomination is withdrawn; it is pointed out, the miners, who make up a large majority of the electors, will have an opportunity of putting forward their own candidate.

MR WEBB AT WESTPORT.

WESTPORT, October 30. Mr P. C. Webb, official Labour candidate for Buller, addressed a large gathering in the Theatre Royal this evening. He urged the speedy completion of the Buller Gorge railway, to absorb unemployment, at award rates of pay also the cultivation of, the pakihis, stating that the unemployed would be better occupied there than on the uneconomic work 'on which many of them were engaged. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed.

'THE MINERS' CANDIDATE. MR McLAGAN SELECTED. (Special to the "Guardian.") " GREYMQUTH, October 30. It is understood that at a meeting held at Blackball yesterday it was decided to, nominate Mr A. McLagan, secretary of the United Mine Workers of New Zealand, to contest the Buller by-election.. -