THE LYTTELTON BY-ELECTION

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21510, 27 June 1935, Page 9

THE LYTTELTON BY-ELECTION

TO TUB RtllTOB Of TUB PHB39. Sir,—Now that the battle for the Lyttelton .seat is being joined, I should like to offer a few observations of the position. They will not, I know, be universally accepted, but I am quite sure they represent the opinions of the great body of the electorate. First let me congratulate Mr Lyons on his resolve to fight this battlo single-handed. It is quite what wc might expect from such a great fighter, clean, and good all-round sport. I learn that cohorts of Labour carpet-baggers are coming from other constituencies to tell us how to y9^ e and to stress the supreme qualities and claims of Mr Terence McCombs, of whom they know as little as I do. But surely Mr McCombs should be allowed to stand on his own legs and fight his own battle. It is not much to the credit of any successful candidate if he succeeds because some leader of his party has come to speak for him. And, again. Mr Lyons should secure some support in this election because he is such a capable all-round man. He was bred on a farm, worked on a farm, and knows the pastoral and agricultural industry like an expert. But he is also a man who for years has held a distinguished place in city life. He knows the difficulties and problems of industrial areas just as he knows country and farm life, and is always ready to deal symnal.hetically with both. lie is a founder and was president of the Christehurch Journalists' Union for years, and his work on the City Council during the last stressful years has marked him out as a man of great ability, who has served the people faithfully, and who in a higher position as member of Parliament will serve them equally well. . Has the Labour party now arrived at the decision ihat such positions as the representation of Lyttelton should be made hereditary? I have heard so many of them rail against the hereditary principle as it runs in the monarchy and aristocracy. But is n wrong that it should run in these and right and proper that it run in Labour's tenure of profitable ofnees/ Your * Clc " _ LOOKER-ON. June 2G, 1935.