THE LABOUR CANDIDATE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 134, 8 June 1910, Page 8

THE LABOUR CANDIDATE.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Being interested in the City East 'by-election, I must contradict the statement "made in your columns an Monday that i he Labour had. changed its ■candidate. Now,..jMr. Editor, you are aware that at ameeting held in the Choral 'Hall on "Monday evening, 30th May, Hγ. G. I. McKnight was selected. 'by a majority of 39 as the Labour candidate. I would like to ask you if you think the Central Committee should turn round practically on the eve of the election, and 'withdraw its support from Mr. -McKnight, and advocate the candidature of Mr. Davis ? • I was at a meeting of the Central Committee", held last Saturday in the Union Chambers, Swanson-street, when the matter was thoroughly gone into, and Mr McKnight'a position as Labour candidate was fully discussed, reference being made to a misconstruction the Central Committee put on a epeech regarding statutory preference to unionists and the threefifths majority, delivered by Mr. McKnight in Parnell some two years ago. At this meeting they (th 6( Central Committee) without the authority of those who on Monday, 30th ult., selected Mr. •McKnight as the Labour candidate, elected Mr. Davis to the position, in place of Mr. McKnight, which, Sir, was a wrong and unfair action on their part. Whilst reading your paper,:-I noticed that the Central Committee are going.to hold, 'back the money donated and collected for the purpose of furthering Mr. McKnight'e candidature. This money, having been collected, for a specific purpose, viz., to assist Mr. 'McKnight; do you not consider it a breach of faith for. the Central Committee to use, the concurrence of the donators, this money in another way,. i.e.,- to support Mr. Davis.—l am, etc., B. KEANEj President A.W.W.U.