CANDIDATES' REPLY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1943, Page 8

CANDIDATES' REPLY

"This is the worst attempt yet seen in the political life of this Dominion to stab a political • movement in the back," says, a joint statement made last night by Mr. Rugby Malcolm and Mr. Clive Drummond, ! Independent Group candidates in Wellington. "There is no Wellington North branch of the Independent Group and Mr. Brady has no official standing whatever. He has acted as chairman for some of Mr. Malcolm's meetings on a paid basis. "Acting apparently as an agent for someone connected with the National Party, Mr. Brady today approached us—the two Independent Group candidates in the Wellington area—with the' most monstrous proposition imaginable. He wanted us to withdraw from the election, and asked Mr. Malcolm, whom he met first, to meet Mr. Hislop, Mr. Malcolm's National opponent, and then go down to meet Mr. Holland, Leader of the National Party. "Mr Malcolm indignantly refused, saying that he had an obligation to fellow-members of the group, intending supporters, and the people ox JNew Zealand, and in no circumstances would he retire, particularly in favour of Mr. Hislop. After Mr. Brady had been well dressed down by Mr. Malcolm, he did not proceed further with the request to Mr. Drummond, who was then present. "The appointment with the National Leader and Mr. Hislop was indignantly rejected. Mr. Brady was later seen to meet Mr. Hislop, however, and later again this telegram was sent to outside candidates of the Independent Group. It is obviously .an attempt to mislead them into believing that someone with an official standing in the Independent Group desires them to stand down in favour of the National Party. The whole telegram, in fact, is a blatant advertisement for the National Party. "We see in this a deliberate attempt by the National Party to get the Independent candidates out of the election."