THAT £100 BONUS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 38, 13 August 1930, Page 10

THAT £100 BONUS

MR. COATES'S POSITION

EEPLY TO MR. WARD

(By Telegraph.) - (Special to "The Evening Post.") INVEECABGILL, This Day. With reference to tho statement made by Mr. Vincent Ware!, United candidate in tholuvercargill by-election campaign, that tho Treasury had paid the £100 bonus into Mr. Coates's account despite tho fact that Mr. Coates had said he would not accept payment, the "Southland News" last nighfc published the following telegram received from Mr. A. E. Mander, Dominion secretary of the liefonn ' Party:—"Mr. Coates states he definitely instructed his bank manager not to accept tho payment of tho £100 bonus, and notified the Treasury if, despite this, tho payment was accepted by the bank it will of course be returned. Inquiries are now being made."

Underneath the telegram the "News" published tho following statement: "Mr. Vincent Ward states in reply to the above that ho was definitely informed from an official source that the Treasury has not been instructed to this effect."

At his meeting last night, Mr. J. Hargest, the Reform candidate, stated:— '' The suggestions made by my opponent that the Leader of the Reform Party accepted the bonus after making a gesture of refusal arc absolutely refuted by the following telegram, which has been sent to Mr. Coates by the manager of tho National Bank, Dargaville:—'J. G. Coatos, M.P., Wellington,—You advised me in acting, 23rd November, 1929, to return to Treasury £100 bonus if paid to your account, as you refused to accept same. ■ (Signed), Armitago, manager, National Bank, Dargaville.' "