Warning for National over Wairarapa

Press, 13 October 1987, Page 23

Warning for National over Wairarapa

PA Wellington National’s decision to flag away a final attempt to win the Wairarapa seat has disappointed the party’s electorate chairman, Alastair Orsbome. He warned it would make the seat harder for National to win next time. Labour’s Reg Boorman holds the seat by just one vote. He lost it to National’s Wyatt Creech at the August 15 General Election, but subsequently regained it when special votes gave him a majority of seven. A judical recount resulted in that majority being cut to one vote —

an outcome the president of the National Party, Neville Young, said on Friday the party would not challenge through an electoral petition. Mr Orsbome said he was “bitterly disappointed.” The decision to flag the fight away would make it more difficult to motivate National Party supporters at the next election, he said. Wairarapa had lost a significant opportunity to have a politician of real merit, he said. “We believe we had a good case and with just one vote margin ...”

Mr Orsborhe said he hoped Mr Creech would seek the nomination next election.

Mrs Danny Creech told the “Wairarapa TimesAge” just hours after the Friday afternoon announcement her husband would not be releasing a statement until today. She accused the TimesAge of not doing enough to publicise Mr Creech during the campaign. Earlier in the day she had said that she would be quite happy if the petition didn’t go ahead. “But I don’t want you to publish that.”