MR. A. L. HERDMAN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 123, 23 November 1908, Page 3

MR. A. L. HERDMAN.

Mr. A. L. Herdman, who is contesting the second ballot for Wellington North with Mr. F. G. Bolton, addressed a good crowd of electors in the Tinakori-road Schoolroom on Saturday evening. Mr. A. R. MeeK presided. The candidate's address was on the iines of previous speeches Ho refferred to the spirit in which the contest for the first ballot was carried out, but while he warmly praised Mr. Izard for his bearing in that fight, he now characterised that gentleman's action in throwiug in his lot with Mr. Bolton as extraordinary. Mr. Bolton was the despised and rejected of the Government in the former ballot, while Mr. Izard was the appointed of the Government. The candidate again dealt with the suggestion that he was not fit to represent Wellington North because he had been rejected for Mount Ida on the lines of his speech m the Masonic Hall on Thursday last. An agitation, lie said, had been organised for the acquirement of the Otekaike Estate for closer settlement. At that time he was member for Mount Ida, and he had presented a petition to the House, asking thai the estate should he cut up. Nothing was done about the matter, but Mr. M'Pherson visited Duntroon with a Minister of th© Crown before the election in 1905, and a promise was made that Otekaike would be acquired if the Liberal candidate was returned. He (Mr. Herdman) was defeated, and to that promise he attributed his defeat. The candidate spoke at some length on the necessity for establishing a Civil Service Board. Such a board would free the ■ervice from political influence. - tn answer to a question, Mr. Herdman said he did not suggest that the salaries of civil servants should be reduced. He was opposed to anything of tnat kind. Mr. Herdman received a vote of thanks and confideaco.