National candidates now chosen in all general electorates

Press, 22 June 1978, Page 3

National candidates now chosen in all general electorates

| Parliamentary reporter I National Party candidates i have been selected for all 88 I general seats, according to I the president of the National ; Party (Mr G. A. Chapman), : Mr Chapman was addressi ing a selection meeting in i Wainuiomata at which Mr i Brett Newell wa; selected as National’s candidate for the Pencarrow electorate. “With the selection of a candidate for New Lynn and the selection of Mr Newell in Pencarrow, all the candidates are now in the field in all of the general seats,” Mr Chapman said. In addition, National candidates have been selected for three of the four Maori seats, Northern Maori being the only electorate outstanding. “The fact that we have! i reached this stage in our) ! election year programme; 'illustrates the efficiency of] iour election procedures,” Mr jChapman said. “The system; |of selection of candidates by;

local party members is the heart of the democratic principle on which our party is based, in stark contrast to the Labour Party system in which the wishes of the locals are overriden by the party hierarchy. “Our system aso contrasts with the activities of a small self-appointed group of so called National Party supporters who have selected a self-styled National Alternative candidate for East Coast Bays,” said Mr Chapman. “The name they are using is appropriate, because every party is an alternative to the National Party whether it is the ! Labour Party, Social Credit, Values or Socialist Unity. “The National Alternative is nothing more than another independent candidate ! trying to take votes from ;and damage the National ; Party, and will be seen as J such by East Coast electors lin November,” Mr Chapman isaid.