BIAS DENIED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 172, 23 July 1941, Page 8

BIAS DENIED

REMUERA SEAT REVIEW OF CANDIDATURE A denial that there was any bias against Mr. W. P. Endean, sitting member for Remuera, and an affirmation that it was the wish of the Remuera Electorate Committee of the National party only to give effect to a widespread desire for a review of the candidature, was made to-day by Mr. T. Clifton Webb, chairman of the committee, in replying to a statement made yesterday by Mr. Endean. "My committee have no intention of entering into a newspaper controversy with Mr. Endean or anyone else over what has unfortunately occurred in the Remuera electorate," said Mr. Webb. "At the same time I feel it is necessary just to say that many of the statements made by Mr. Endean are not correct. "The broad principle' actuating my committee is the democratic one that the electors of a constituency have a perfect right from time to time to review the candidature of the sitting member if they feel that there is a substantial desire for a change. If this right is not conceded then it means that the sitting member has a perpetual mortgage so to speak, over the seat. This might aptly be summed up in the phrase 'once a member always a member.' Approval of Committee "That mere is a widespread desire for a change, or at least for an opportunity of reviewing the party candidature, is beyond doubt, and my committee in obtaining the right to call for nominations afresh is only giving expression to that widespread desire. If, as seems to me, Mr. Endean's statement gives rise to the impression that the opportunity for a change has been engineered by Mr. L. K. Munro (who until recently was our chairman), I would reply that every step taken by him has been with the approval of the committee." Mr. Webb thought he need hardly say that Mr. Endean's allegation of bias was entirely without foundation. The committee had striven to reflect the opinion of the majority and had acted throughout entirely from impersonal motives. Mr. Endean had the opportunity of nominating along with others, and of having the selection of a candidate made in accordance with the rules of the National party's constitution. wr"L? ar l < 2 lly re gret," concluded Mr. Webb "that Mr. Endean has not seen fit to concur with what we believe to be the wish of the vast majority of our members, and time alone will show whether our action has been justified."