THE HUTT SEAT

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 46, 18 November 1929, Page 10

THE HUTT SEAT

REFORM CANDIDATE MR. H. F. JOHNSTON SELECTED ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING Mr. Harold F. Johnston was selected as the Reform candidate for the Hutt seat at a meeting of Reform supporters at Petone on Saturday night. The selection was made by ballot, Mr. V. Jacobsen also being a candidate for the party nomination. There are now four candidates for the Hutt seat, as follow: — James Kerr Government Harold F. Johnston Reform Walter NashLabour D. D. Bennett Independent Mr. Bennett has not yet announced his platform. In 1922 he stood as a Reformer. When informed last night of that party’s selection for the pending by-election, Mr. Bennett reiterated his decision to contest the seat The date of the by-election has not yet been definitely fixed. It is expected, however, that it will take place on December 17 or 18. The sitting member, the Hon. T. M. Wilford, who has been appointed High Commissioner, has not yet tendered his resignation, but may do so this morning. Political gossip is still busy with suggestions as to Mr. Wilford’s successor in the Cabinet At the moment the chances of Mr. W. A. Bodkin (Central Otago) are most favoured. An Enthusiastic Meeting. The meeting of Reform supporters at Petone on Saturday night was enthusiastic and representative. Mr. H. E. Leighton presided. The Leader of the Opposition (Right Hon. J. G. Coates) was present, and was accorded a rousing reception. He explained that the object of the gathering was to select a candidate to contest the Hutt seat, rendered vacant by the appointment of Mr. Wilford as High Commissioner.

Mr. Coates said that the party was indeed fortunate in having two men coming forward of such vigour and initiative as Mr. Johnston and Mr. Jacobsen ready and willing to serve the people of the Hutt electorate. A resolution indicating the unanimous determination of the meeting to use every endeavour towards assisting, whichever nominee was finally selected as candidate, was recorded. The two nominees then addressed the meeting, both emphasising the necessity for co-ordinated effort and their preparedness to leave the final Selection to the meeting, while each pledged the other to assist, to the fullest extent, towards the return of the selected candidate.

The ballot resulted in the selection of Mr. Johnston. The result was received enthusiastically, the meeting again pledging its wholehearted support

Committees representing . various parts of the electorate were immediately arranged for. Mr. Jacobsen was elected chairman of Mr. Johnston’s election committee, and Mr. D. M. Robertson will assist with the organising. Upon Mr. Johnston’s name being submitted to the party leader as candidate for the Hutt seat, Mr. Coates expressed pleasure in confirming Mr. Johnston’s nomination as the official Reform candidate, and remarked that he believed the people of New Zealand would be pleased to know that a man of such undoubted ability as Mr. Johnston was to contest the seat in the Reform interests. Mr. Johnston’s Personal Career. Mr. Johnston, who was born in Wellington in 1875, is the fourth son of the late Sir Charles Johnston, member of the Legislative Council, and at the time of his death Speaker of the Legislative Council. He received his education at the Wanganui Collegiate School and at Trinity College, Oxford, where he graduated as B.A. in "1897. He was a member of Lincoln’s Inn, and was called to the English Bar in 1897, and later in the same year he' was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Mr. Johnston served with the London Scottish in the Great War. He was president of the Wellington Law Society in 1928, .and is now a member of the council of the society. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee to the T. G. Macarthy Board of Governors. LABOUR CAMPAIGN. Mr. W. Nash, the Labour candidate, will address a meeting at the Petone Labour Hall to-morrow night at 8 o’clock. Those desirous of assisting the Labour campaign are invited to attend.