REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT IN REPLY.

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 138, 9 December 1919, Page 8

REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT IN REPLY.

•The Rev. Howard Elliott has forwarded the following statement: "On behalf of the P.P-.A. I interviewed Mr. H. M. Jones with reference to his candidature. As a Protestant, and lately acting-secretary of the Ashburton group, it was considered locally that Mr. Jones might divide the Protestant vote. I -urged Mr. Jones, on this account»Jo withdraw, from the" contest, and understood that the P.PIA. would meet any expense he had incurred up to that date. Mr. Jones requested a week to consider the request, and pledged himself to treat it confidentially. He declined to stand down, intimating,that, he believed..it. to. be a matter of religious duty to stand. Now, however, for some reason known to himself, he has committed a breach of confidence, and seeks to placea construction upon my request that is entirely unwarranted. The suggestion of a seat in the Legislative Council is so nonsensical that it is unworthy of notice. Neither Mr. Massey nor Mr. Nosworthy were consulted; neither were thoy aware of our intention to approach Mr. Jones. "Our suggestion was made to Mr. Jones solely in the interests of a solid Protestant vote, and I regret that he, as a Protestant, did not place his Protestantism before his political ambitions, and that he should attempt to make political capital through a breach, of con-, fidence." £•