INDUCEMENT TO RETIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 200, 25 August 1933, Page 3

INDUCEMENT TO RETIRE.

CANDIDATE'S EXPLANATION

(By TclPsrapli.—Press Association.)

CIIRISTCHUPvCH, Thursday.

"I would be doing a very cowardly tiling if I divulged the mime of the person who offered me a sum of money to withdraw from this contest," said Mr. E. L. Hills, independent Labour candidate in. the Lyttelton by-election, at a meeting to-night, when asked to gire the name to substantiate his statement earlier in the week that" he had received such an offer and that it did not come from the Coalition.

Pressed to remove what a questioner termed the etigma Mr. Hills' remarks had cast by innuendo on the Labour party, the only other party in the campaign for the seat, Mr. Hills, said: — "My statement was one of fact and I made no insinuation. I have nothing to withdraw. It is possible the statement was interpreted to mean that it was the Labour party or some other party that made the offer. It ought to be remembered that in dealing with bribery and corruption it is always with individuals, and, to be fair to all parties, I will state that it was not a political party that offered me a euni to withdraw. I will go no further than that."