UNITED PARTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 163, 12 July 1928, Page 9

UNITED PARTY.

POLITICAL PREPARATION.

37 CANDIDATES SELECTED.

LEADER NOT YET CHOSEN,

Speaking of the progress made by the United Political Party during the past six months, Mr. A. E. Davy, Dominion organiser for the party who is at present in Auckland, said to-day: "I notice that both the Reform and Labour Parties have made slighting reference to the new party. I am satisfied they are not sincere in the views that they express about us, but if they are I am very pleased, because there is nothing so dangerous as under-estimating an opponent. If one considers briefly the positions of the parties to-day and the feeling of the country generally, it will be readily seen the United Party not only has a claim but will go very close to securing the Treasury benches in 11)28. A comparison of the organisations would perhaps be enlightening. The United Party has officers and staffs in four centres, there are seven organisers engaged throughout the Dominion, and we are campaigning actively all the time while our opponents are talking. I travel through the country very fast, and I find very little evidence of activity on the part of our opposition. This is not to be wondered at. The Reform Party has such a large number of seats, and, having pledged themselves to support everyone of the holders of them, the party has very little to do in the further selection of candidates to represent them. The Labour Party organisation is run by unions and Labour representation i committees, who do all the choosing of candidates. There is, therefore, very little left to be done by their headquarters organising staff. However, the organisations of both parties must feel exceedingly disappointed at the results they are achieving. Conference at Wellington. "The United Party has already announced 37 candidates, and has many more in view. When the number reaches 50 the party intends holding a conference at Wellington, when the policy and leader will be decided upon. I estimate this conference to take place in about a month's time. Candidates are freely offering and the work of selection is being delayed because of the number of good candidates that are offering in each electorate. There are now five electorates in which it is necessary to set up selection committees to make a choice. A selection committee was recently set up to choose a candidate for the Riccarton electorate. .Branches of the party were established in various parts of the electorate, and delegates selected to choose a candidate. The final choice fell upon Mr. A. A. McLachlan, barrister and solicitor of Christchurch. Mr. McLachlan is a young man and comes of a political family, his grandfather, the late Mr. J, McLachlan, being the representative in Parliament of Ashburton for some years. Mr. McLachlan had a brilliant University career, and holds the degrees of B.A. and LL.B. "Another candidate recently selected was Mr. W. E. Taylor, who will contest the Wallace teat. He is well-known in the electorate, he having been for years manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Company, Limited, in Southland. In Oamaru there will be at least two candidates to select from, one being Mr. MePherson, who once held the seat. A recent selection was Mr. George Smith, who has been giving the party's approval in his candidature for the Raglan seat. Mr. Smith is a well-known resident of Huntly and worked in the eoal mines for some years. During that time he held the position of president of the Miners' Union. He resigned from that position when he went farming in the Raglan district. He farmed successfully, and for many years he took a large part in all matters of interest to the dairying industry. For the past four years he has been chairman of the Huntly District High School, and held other positions on local bodies. He has served on the Huntly Town Board, and at present is a member of the Waikato Hospital Board, and for some years has represented the Miners Department on the Huntly School of Mines. A candidate has been chosen for Hauraki, and his name will be announced on Monday. "Progress" of Organisation. "I am very pleased with the progress of our organisation in Auckland," added Mr. Davy. "The provincial organiser, Mr. O. Moller, and his assistant, Mr. Mullins, have been most active, and I feel it unnecessary for me to spend much time in the province. I can safely leave the party's interest in their hands. Mr. Moller has visited most of the electorates in the province and has taken steps to consolidate the organisation in each electorate visited.

"A few months ago," continued Mr. Davy, "the leading Conservative newspapers of the Dominion were very outspoken in their criticism of Reform legislation and the personnel of the Reform party. When the United Party Igpmed on the horizon and they found that it was not going to be a washout as was the case with earlier attempts to form new political parties, and when they saw the excellent class of candidate that was being selected by the United party, they promptly forgot all about their criticism, and rushed to the aid of their own party. "Surely," said Mr. Davy, "if the United Party can present a personnel, a leader and a policy that is superior to that of the Reform party nothing should be done to hinder them. Electors generally consider the present administration can, -with profit to the country, be dismissed if a better alternative is provided. Seemingly, the Reform journals do not wish to See the electors presented with the latter alternative, but despite the poor personnel, poor leadership and bad legislation, so heartily condemned by themselves, they are prepared to allow the country to suffer all these because they belong to their own party. I would ask them to confinc their criticism to the candidates already chosen and measure them up against the Reform candidates they will be opposing." . Mr. Davy will leave on the Limited Express this evening for Palmerston North, where he will attend a meeting of the Palmerston North branch to-moi - evening. From Palmerston orth he will leave on a tour of the East Coast, visiting Waipawa, Hawke's Bay, Napier and Gisborne electorates. Candidates for all the above seats will be announced shortly.