Nelson wide open for National

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34047, 10 January 1976, Page 1

Nelson wide open for National

(By

BARRY SIMPSON)

The death yesterday of Sir Stanley Whitehead, Nelson’s member of Parliament for the last 18 years, has left Nelson wide open for a National take-over.

Nelson has long been considered a “safe” Labour seat but the full extent of the personal vote which Sir Stanleyattracted is difficult to assess.

Without any doubt, if Labour wants to hold Nelson it will have to put into the field a well-known and respected Nelsonian. The likelihood that any one of a dozen recently defeated Labour politicians could take the seat for Labour is virtually nil. It is generally conceded that Nelson will not go to any outsider — with one possible exception — Marlborough’s former M.P., Mr I. J. Brooks. Several names His was one of several names being quoted in political circles in Nelson this afternoon. When contacted at home this evening, Mr Brooks said he believed the candidates should, if possible, come from within their own electorates. If Nelson had a suitable candidate, he would not put his own name forward. But if others from other centres made themselves available, he probably would, too.

Who could Labour put up from within Nelson? A short list, really. It would probably include Mr Geoffrey Amos, the chairman of the Nelson Labour Electoral Committee and area officer of the Labour Party in the West Coast-Nelson-Tasman and Marlbor-

ough areas, Mrs Sonya Davies, and Mr Geoffrey Palmer. Mrs Davies, a former Nelsonian, was widely respected when she lived here and she is still politically active in Wellington. Mr Palmer, once a staunch Nationalist, fell out of favour this year when he allied himself with the Citizens for Rowling campaign. He. too. is a former wellknown Nelson resident. Thin line This is a fairly thin line to withstand the battery of names likely to come forward to contest the nominations for the National candidacy. There are former candidates, Mr R. A. McLennan (now Nelson’s mayor); Mr lan McWhannell, who polled well in both previous elections; and Mr Peter Malone, the veterinary surgeon who cut Mr Rowling’s majority to bare bones. There are others too, rumoured to have an interest in standing. They include Mr Frank Baldwin, a land and real-estate agent, and Mr Brian Mills, a dry-cleaning proprietor and the driving force behind Nelson’s Trafalgar Centre building committee.

It has also been suggested that Mr Colin Neale, the party’s Nelson chairman and the son of a former Nelson M.P., Mr R. D. Neale, might enter the lists; but from his holiday home in the Marlborough Sounds this evening, Mr Neale would neither confirm nor deny this. Nominations would be called for at

the appropriate time, he said. With Sir Stanley Whitehead having retained his seat with a reduced majority of only 1092 votes, it appears likely even at this stage that the by-election for the Nelson seat will be a very close contest. Noncommittal Labour Party sources are noncommittal as to the likelihood of any particular candidates receiving backing for the Labour nomination for the Nelson seat, says the Parliamentary reporter of “The Press.” It is understood that the name of the recently defeated former Labour member for Rangiora (Mr T. K. Burke) has already been mentioned as a possibility, and he is considered a likely runner. Other possibilities, including several former Cabinet Ministers, have been noncommittal on whether they will offer themselves. The former Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr J. A. Walding) is not considered a likely starter, but the secretary of the Labour Party (Mr J. F. Wybrow), who unsuccessfully contested the Miramar seat in November, is considered a possible contender. The by-election for the Nelson seat is not likely to be held much before March. While no definite date can be set on the by-election at this time, the longest time which can elapse under normal circumstances before an election is held is 71 days. OBITUARY, PAGE 2.