REASONS WHY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 121, 18 November 1931, Page 10

REASONS WHY

MR. M'LEOD'S POSITION

"PERFECT RIGHT TO STAND"

(By Telegraph.) (From "The Post's" Special Reporter.) CAETERTON, This Day.

Reasons which actuated him in standing for the Wairarapa seat in opposition to the official Coalition candidate wero stated by, Mr. A. D. M'Leod when he addressed a large meeting of electors at Carterton last evening. vHe maintained that the party leaders had no right to dictate as to who should be candidates. . . '' There arc a number of people m tlie Wairarapa and in other parts who say that I have no right to appear on a public platform," said Mr. M'Leod. "I claim that I have a perfect right to appear here.' I have lived in the Wairarapa for 3ixty years, and I have lived honourably. I am not,, afraid to meet any man or woman in the district, and I claim I have the .right to address the jlectors. from any platform, provided they will listen to me. I want to say that it was not until after the issue of the writs and within a few days of the closing of nominations that I definitely decided to go to the poll. In my first notification that I intended to stand I said that I would support, the Coalition or any Government that would aim at the rehabilitation of the farming industry in New Zealand. I can go further than that to-night. I have seen the Coalition Government 'a. manifesto, and I am prepared to say that if I am returned I will give my support to the Coalition Government. (Applause.) At the same time I want to say that I am standing as a Reformer. Having said that, I will admit at once that you have the right to ask me why [am standing against a candidate who is also supporting the Coalition Government. When it was announced that an election would bo held, I was approached by Mr. Coates and asked if I would stand down. .But.l noticed that from ono end of New Zealand.to the other candidates were being announced as opponents to Coalition or official candidates. lam going to bo quito frank in tho matter by saying that a number of these candidates were Kcformcrs, but by far the greater number wnro United supporters. In view of all tho circumstances, I feel I am perfectly justified Vn contesting tho Wairarapa seat. PACT ALREADY BROKEN. "I may be accused of breaking down tho pact, but my reply to that is that the pact was already broken. It is true that a number of candidates havo withdrawn, but many of them' had about as much chance of getting into Parliament as they had of flying to the moon. I may.Jiavc no chance myself, but it docs seem ridiculous to mo to make a noise about withdrawing men who had no chance. I believe the very large majority of the people did not see any necessity for a pact between tho Reform and Unite.d Parties. Many people felt it was a move to save their seats rather than a move to save the country." As another instance of how he considered tho pact had broken down, Mr. M'Leod said that Ministers, who had very important duties to perform in the interests of tho country, were being opposed by other than.Labour candidates. In every instance, Die Beform Party had boon successful ifi pulling out candidates against United Ministers, but such was not the case in regard to Beform Ministers. The Minister of Agriculture) (the Hon. I). Jones) was being .opposed in his electorate by a man who ran him within 100 votes at the. last Election. Thoro had been no pact in the English elections. Certainly efforts had been made to ensure straight-out fights between National Government and Labour candidates, but in other cases two National Government candidates contested' tho same seat. AN EARLIER ELECTION. "The people of New Zealand should have been appealed to eight, nine, or ten months ago," said Sir. M'Leod. "The constitutional course Bhould have been followed/for the. Government had completely reversed the policy on. which it was elected. lam not blaming Mr. Forbes for that. T believe if; Mr. Forbes had been1 left to himself he would have followed the constitutional iourse, but an influential section of the city Press and certain people outside of Parliament brought pressure to bear on him. It was even suggested that the life of Parliament, should be prolonged, but that was a most undemocratic proposal, and'if it had been adopted it would have been bitterly resented by the electors." :

Mr. M'Leod went on to say that they were hearing quite a lot of the old catch-cry,"Measures, not men." He had never, been a subscriber to that doctrine. He recognised that it was necessary to have measures, but it was also essential that they should have the men to put those measures into effect.