MR. HOLLAND'S NOMINATION

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 50, 27 February 1918, Page 8

MR. HOLLAND'S NOMINATION

'A correspondent "Returned Man," writes that speakers in support of Mr. Holland's candidature have • made a special point of the statement that Mr. Holland waa the nominee (by ballot of all the unions of Wellington. He adds:: "The total unionist roll of this -city is over 5000. The total number of votes east was 248. The membership roll of ■ the Social Democratic Party .is about 200. Out of the 248 votes , cast, Mr. Holland got 150, and as the S.D.P. Party members voted, he did not even ' get the solid vote of his own party. How many sane unionists voted at all and how many votes did Mr. Holland get? Labour did not want to.-contest. Wellington North, as most sane men realised the hopelessness of winning." ■ The secretary of the Labour Representation Committee (Mr. E. Kennedy) stated that there were 26 organisations affiliated with the committee, and these were all invited to submit nominations for a candidate. Four candidates were nominated—Messrs. Holland, M?,ddiscm, Read, and Hutchison. A selection ballot was then taken, all members of the affiliated organisations being entitled to vote. Ballot papers were not sent out, but the polling took place at the Trades Hall between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. on a Saturday. Mr. Kennedy could not state the exact voting figures, as he had not his record books at hand, but a return was obtained of the votes ■ cast by members of different organisations. This showed that the proportion of voting members was about even, and from his recollection the Social Democratic vote was not larger than that of the other affiliated bodies. All members had eqnal opportunities for casting their votes if they so desired.