Mr Cracknell Loses Leadership

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32305, 25 May 1970, Page 1

Mr Cracknell Loses Leadership

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 24. Mr V. F. Cracknell was toppled from leadership of the Social Credit Political League yesterday after a bitter leadership struggle at the league’s conference.

The new leader, a 45-year-old farmer, Mr J. B. O’Brien, pledged to move toward radical, j progressive and aggres-i sive tactics in Social Credit affairs. The most acrimonious debates at the conference were held in committee, but enough bitterness overflowed! into public sessions to indicate that a hard task lies ahead of league officers to restore unity in the organisation.

Elections yesterday brought an almost complete change of senior executive members. Candidates known in the league as Mr O’Brien’s supporters—although some of them denied being part of a faction—swept the polls, Two exceptions were Mr S. L Dickson (Wellington Central) and Mr A. Mikkelson (Waikato), who were both elected vice-presidents. Some bitterness persisted after the voting figures were announced.

Not long after Mr O’Brien’s election was announced a former league president, Mr F. Needham (Taihape) took the microphone and said: "Ladies and gentlemen, some qf you ! are not aware of it, but time will show you have just interred Social Credit and destroyed the movement. I now resign my membership.”

,i Mr Needham then removed his delegate's lapel badge. ' handed it to officials on the 'i stage, and walked from the • ■room. ' There was no direct voting between Mi [Cracknell and his successor. VOTE FOR PRESIDENT I The leadership issue was decided on the vote for president, which went to Mi O’Brien’s supporter, Mr P. J. Dempsey, who was re-elected to the position. In a straight voting battle (other candidates had withdrawn), Mi Dempsey defeated Mr Cracknell’s nominee, Mr J. A. Gray (Otaki), by 137 votes to 60. Earlier, Mr Cracknell had announced that if any members of what became known as the “Cracknell ticket" were defeated in the elections, all other members would withdraw their nominations. Mr Cracknell signified his defeat by a low-voiced request to a secretary on the conference stage to strike out his name from the list on a board facing delegates. He made no immediate public comment on the election results, and leftj the hall before all the results' were known. Mr O’Brien won the poll for leader by 139 votes to 51 (four informal) —figures similar enough to those in the presidential election to indicate bloc voting in his favour. His; opponent was Mr P. J. Me-; I Mullan (Otago), who had ear-

11 tier warned the conference ■ against voting for any “factional” candidate, but later assured Mr O'Brien of his loyJalty. I DEPUTY LEADER ; The position of deputy 1 leader—a post Mr O'Brien : had held since 1960—went to an Auckland secondary school I teacher, Mr T. Weal, who is thought of in the league as a supporter of Mr O'Brien, but who told the conference that he had not been on either side in the leadership struggle. Mr Weal is a former vicei president of the league. He ■ has been a Parliamentary candidate for Mount Albert on several occasions and stood in the 1968 Hutt by-election ■ He defeated Mr N. John i ston (Egrnont), and Mr J ; Fountain (St Albans), in the voting for deputy leader. Mt I Cracknell's nominee, Mr N. McConachy (Rodney), withdrew his nomination. I Vice-presidents elected were ! Mrs A. Knox (Bay of Plenty), ■ Messrs Dickson. Mikkelson and F. J. Morgan (Miramar). i All but Mr Dickson (a | former league research officer), had been vice-presidents ■ previously—and this prompted an unsuccessful candidate, !Mr C. Aberdeen (Dunedin Central), to tell the conference: “Congratulations on selecting the crowd we had two years ago. I hope they can do a better job than they 'did then.”