OTAKI SEAT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 86, 8 October 1914, Page 8

OTAKI SEAT

TO THI EDtIOR. Sir,— Mr. Arthur A. Paape's letter looks very well on paper, but when one knows the true position I must say that it is very misleading and does Mr. Byron Brown an injustice. He states that Mr. Byron Brown agreed to stand down in the even t_ of _ his getting the minority vote. This is quite correct, but it was only if Mr. Field would agree to do the same if he got the minority vote. Now, sir, it's all very well Mr. Pa-ape saying that Mr. 1 Field agreed to do this, but why was this fact not made known tto Mr. Byron Brown before the decision of the delegates? Did Mr. Field ever declare his intentions of standing down ? No. I wish it to be understood that I a-m not a supporter of Mr. Byron Brown, but still I cannot help agreeing with him when he says that the meetings Were not a true representation of the Reform Party, but were meetings of Mr. Field's followers. 1 attended only one meeting, and it was a semi-private one arranged by Mr. Field's followers before any public meeting was held. At that meeting I learned that he (Mr. Field) was already chosen by the Reform Party as the candidate to represent Otaki in the Reform interests. From this I trust you will see, as I do, that the meetings to select delegates to choose the candidate were nothing short of a farce, and could you wonder that "practically none of Mr. Byron Brown s supporters attended them? — I am, etc., T. SHBULAW. Levin, 7th October.