MR MASLIN’S RECORD.

Evening Star, Issue 18139, 1 December 1922, Page 7

MR MASLIN’S RECORD.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,—-To show the gross misrepresentation of your correspondent who is ashamed to disclose his identity, and bo nses the nom do plume of “ Argus,” permit mo to supply you /with the following facts: —■ It is true that .at the election held in ,1908 I was one of five who contested the Ashburton ■ electorate, which, I may inform your correspondent, included Geraldine. Tho election was won by Mr Nosworthy with a majority of 747 votes. In 1911, in response to the invitation of leading No-itbeaise workers, I again contested the Ashburton electorate, being one of four candidate. On this occasion I did not get into tbo second ballot-, but received 879 votes more than I did in 1908, Mr Nosworthy being again jetumed by a majority of 913. Nothing daunted, I again, at tho -request of the Liberal Party, contested the Ashburton electorate. The ‘ New. Zealand liberal,’ referring to the contest, writes under date November 10, 1914, as follows:—-“In Ashburton, where tbo libe, ra ] vote has been eo often split, ,Mr NoawortlA will have -to meet Mr W. S. Maslin, a tried Liberal and experienced .campaigner.” .A aide issue led -to the diversion of votes to Air Nosworthy, yet I received tho largest, vote given in Ashburton for a Liberal candidate, Mr Nosworthy only scouring -the seat by about 140 votes, and in tho present election I had verbal and written requests to -contest Ashburton. Certainly my record in this electorate wa.s ono of continuous and appreciative progress. Now for my transfer to Clutba. Judging from the coward’s castle from which .“Argus” writes, it would have been better for him bad he wandered a little on the same lines. The facts are as follow:—A son of mine who had a farm in the Olutha County, a married man with one child, was drawn in the ballot. To pet him free I sold out my home in Geraldine, where I had lived nearly the whole of my life, and where all my family of eight were born, and went, to Cl-utba to take charge of hts farm. On his safe return. and at. the request of the Hon, )Sir J. G. Ward and the liberal Party, |T contested the Clntha electorate, but through the forces of intolerance and .narrow bigotry I went down in the contest, aa many -bettor men did. I would like here to -ask “Argus” what he did •to help,in the Great, War, and also to advise him in his correspondence to avoid the malod-or of the party committee room. — I am. etc., W. {?. Mastun. November 3p.