MISS MELVILLE'S RETORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 54, 5 March 1926, Page 5

MISS MELVILLE'S RETORT.

"LOCKED UP A_X RIGHT." ____________ * NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. "We were locked up all right—there's no doubt about it," said Miss Melville to-day, commenting upon Mr. Davey's statement in connection with the candidates' imprisonment on Monday night. "We were locked in in a room leading off the landing at the top of the stairs. True, thia room opened into the dress circle, and we took seats at the back of the circle. We were not going to chance breaking our necks by jumping from a second-storey window into the street, and we were not sufficiently athletic to leap from the dress circle down into the lower auditorium, in an endeavour to discover an exit. Mr. Davey knew that we were,.safely confined —else why did he need to lock the door on us? There is no question about it; we were safely locked in, and he knew it. That Resolution of Confidence. "I have been inundated with letters, calls and telephone messages to-day," said Miss Melville, "all expresisng sympathy with mc in regard to my treatment at the meeting,-_nd offering assistance in my candidature. One of the delegates, in an entirely unsolicited letter, states: 'You have my sincere sympathy in the treatment you received from the Reform organiser, Mr. Davey. I might say that tho meeting was not unanimous in passing the resolution of confidence in Mr. Davey, though it was :in a majority—as any packed house : would be. ... I am not satisfied with . the conduct of Mr. Davey.' i "Another delegate writes: 'Your ; action at Monday night's meeting in [ expressing yourself as you did, and iv . leaving the meeting, meets with my ; hearty approval. In the circumstances ; you could scarcely have done otherwise ■ . . . The motion of confidence carried , in the organiser was put at an inopportune time. That was before botl - sides of the story had been heard Otherwise, I venture to state, the resuli - of the motion would have been differ I ent.' * "As a matter of fact," said Miss Mcl l ville, "to my own knowledge that resolution -lution of confidence in Mr. Davey on his i conduct of the meeting was a typec 5 resolution—and must, therefore, havi l been brought to the meeting in antici l pation of trouble." fc Some Reform Opinions. The number of condolences and pro mises of support received by her, Mis Melville went on, was amazing. On 1 man wrote: "I am a good Reformer fc and always have been, but I wotile 3 rathey they lost the seat than win i 3 in such circumstances." Another citi - zen, a stranger to -her, called and lef c his card, assured her of his whole r hearted support, and saidr "Stand firn a when the big guns start." Anothe : " lady, a Reformer, but an entire n'tran - ger to her, wrote asking Miss MelvilL - _to call upon her for assistance. Anothe - Reformer, a man, who had also hithert d been unknown to her personally, ranj - and declared that if she required it, hi services, that of his two daughters, am - the use of their motor car were at he r service. These were typical of man; o similar offers from both Reformers am o others. i- Miss Melville remarked that som n point was being made about the break 0 in°- of pledges. "I want to make it clca s that my pledge was absolutely condi d tional on. the selection being carried ou n strictly in accordance with the consti tution and rules of the Reform League, - she said, adding, "and I have no hesita c tion in saying that this was not doni 1 Further, my undertaking purpose! - omitted any promise to work for an; v candidate." I Discussing the question of suppor; Miss Melville commented on the enthu siasm which, she said, the organise :e would like the public to believe wa r associated with the meetings. They ha y it on excellent authority, hovi. ,er, tha it at one meeting of about 150 people onl d six promises of help were received. d i - SELECTION ENDORSED. y, SIR J. GUNSON'S CANDIDATURE, y At a meeting of the Auckland execi i'c tive of the New Zealand Political Refor; ie League, held this morning, the follov n ing resolution was passed: "That *.* it endorse the selection conference's choie of Sir James Gunson as the Refor: i- candidate to contest the Eden by-electic :e _id that a telegram to this effect be sei c- to the Prime Minister asking for h ;r I immediate endorsement and the part Id I nomination."