THE PARNELL SEAT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1261, 17 October 1911, Page 4

THE PARNELL SEAT.

MR, MASSEY WILL NOT CONTEST IT, FRANKLIN REFUSES TO PART WITH HIM. IBy TolccraDh.— Special Corrcsnondent.t Auckland, October 10. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Masscy) will not contest the Parncll teat against Sir John Findlay ot the forthcoining general elections. This decision was definitely arrived nt this nflcnioon. by Mr. M««cy, us the rosnlt of Iho urgent Eolicitalions of his Franklin constituents not to dtfert them. Th« pesition now is that Mr. E. G. D. Moss will continue to fly the Opposition banner unless his health compels him to relinquish the task, in which case a candidate rtill to be chosen will step into tho breach.

As the result of strong representations from supporters. of his party in tlio Parncll electorate asking him to stand against Sir John Fintilny in vitvr of the physical handicap under which Mr. Moss is suffering, Mr. Masscy met a largo gathering of his Franklin committee and representative electors from all ov«r tlio electorate at Papakura to-day, some having ridden over 30 miles to Iμ prtsont. Mr. .T, (j. Rutherford presided. From the outset it; was apparent that if Mr. Massey wanted to stand against Sir John Fiiulhy he was going to have difficulty in g:tting the full and free permission of Franklin. The Leader of the Opposition set out tho fact* in a clear, unbiased, and almost dispassionate mannet. The people of Parncll wanted him, ami lie was Haltered thereby, but hie Franklin friends had been loyal to him for many years past. A voice: "Stick to us, then." This drew from Mr. Mas?ey the assurance that ho would not do anything without the full and free consent, of his constituents. He. would not Bland for J'arnell unless Franklin was willing. (Laud jhoirs.)

. There followed some discussion as to whether other candidates were not available other than Mr. Massey for the Parnoil seat. One 'speaker, Mr. C. Shepherd (l'ukckohe) wised the point that if Mr. MassrjF stuck to Franklin he could lcayo his electioneering largely to his committee, thus ireiiiß able to devote move lime, to atsisting other Opposition candidates. This point was also urged by Mr. Isaao Gray, and strongly appealed to those present, Mr. E. R. Merlin (Opposition organiser) pointed out that, assuming the i'ranklin electors were inclimd to give Mr. Masscy a free hand to stand for Farncll they would bo justified in first assuring themselves they could sicurc another candii.\ta strong enough to win Franklin for tao Opposition. That, being settled to their satisfaction it would bo to tho interest of tho whole Dominion to allow the Leader of the Opposition to act as he thought best in'replying to the deputation of Panic;! electors, who were to meet him in the evening. Mr. Mass.-y said he waiitcd the meeting to give him a cloar indication whether or not he had their permission to stand for Parncll

There was immediately a storm of protest against Franklin having to glvo up its number, aud tho general feeling was voiced in no uncertain manner by (liiito a number of those prmmt. Mr. Jas. I'inlay rais-cd jocular enthusiasm by declaring that if Auckland could not find anyone else to stand for J'nrncll, ho would stand himself. "I'm as good a man as my namesake," ho doI'laral, amidst renewed laughter. Ultimately Mr. Claud Motion moved: "That this meeting: of tupportevs of Mr. Mnsspy, representing tile various districts throughout tho Franklin electorate, n]> predate the honour conferred upon our member by requesting him to con.est the Tarnell seat, but is of opinion that belter service can bo rendered to the Opposition by keeping Mr. Massey as tho momber for Vranklin, and giving him a free hand to assist any other candidates throughout the compaign." This was seconded,by Mr. J. Schlapfer (I'ukekohe) and carried without a dissentient mice, amidst cntlmsiivstio applause. Before t ; ho meeting 'broke up Mr. Finlay asked with soino earnestness: "Can wo go homo satisfied that' wo have colour member still, and that thero is no chance of him coin? to Parnell ?"

Mr. Massoy said: "You can take it from mo that so long ns Franklin wants them my services'are-at the disposal of tin Franklin people." A tremendous outburst of cheering greeted this assurance.

In Hie evening tho Leader of the Opposition met upwards of 100 representative electors o£ Parnell, convened bv circular for tho purpose. Jlr. Arcli. Clark presided. The chairman remarked that all would much regiel the i'net il Mi. wovo forced to retire owinj io tho slate of his health. If that coiuw should bo necessary, however, they would welcome the news that Mr. M'ass?y would be. comq a candidate. CLoud cheers.) There was much disappointment on Mr. Miissey announcing the rasuit of his confiultation with his Franklin constituents. In doing so, the Leader of the Opposition said that hnd they decided otherwise ho would have- been ijlad to stand for Parn«H. nis Franklin friends, hovrcvor, to a man and to a woman, had objected to him taking any such course,. "They have stuck to me," Mr. Masso.y, "and they oxpect mo to stick to them. I regret ciccudinjjly that I cannot therefore bo a candidate for Parnoll." Ho paid a high tribute to tho loyally of Mr. Moss, who, lie said, had placed himself entirely in his (Mr. Massey's) luiuds. Mr. Martin staled that the Oppositioa party liad never had dealings with a man who had been moro loynl t-o them in a trying situation than Mr. Moss had proved. (Loud applause.) The meeting then constituted itself a committee in tlio Opposition interest, and appointed a strong sub-committee to select, a candidate willing to stand should Jlr. Moss find it necessary to retire from tho contest.