MR DAVY TO MR CLAYTON’S RESCUE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10740, 10 November 1928, Page 5

MR DAVY TO MR CLAYTON’S RESCUE.

<(To the Editor.) .Sir.—l read with amazement your issue of the Times, dated 2nd November dealing with the political situation. Before commenting, I am challenging- you to publish ’this letter. I am forwarding a cony of it both to the United Party candidate and to his chairman, Mr Smith. ' I take strong exception to the heading of “Twister” above the report of the United candidate’s speech. Surely you should be the last in the world to apply such a term to any.man? Your journal is financed by 'Reform capital, and is, therefore, tied to that party. It has boosted, and is still boosting, the tied Reform candidate, Mr Lysnar, who is one cf the biggest political twisters fighting in the present campaign. £ first knew Mr Lysnar as a Liberal—then a Reformer—then an Independent Reformer, and now masquerading under the name of Independent, when he is pledged to the Reform Party. Jn 1924, when the late Mr Massey had a majority of two in the House, Mr Lysnar was posing as an Independent. After a disagreement with Mr Massey over Mr David Jones being chairman of the Meat Board, Mr Lysnar proposed to move a vote of no-confidence in Mr Massey. I v. as present in Wellington and asked Mr Lysnar, even if he moved it, how was it possible to get no-confidence through. He assured me that Mr Allan Bell, of the Bay of Islands, hod promised to support him on his no-confidence motion. This would have meant that Mr Massey and the Reform Party would have been defeated. I told Mr Lysnar that, if lie moved this motion, it would mean the loss of his seat, as he had been returned chiefly because of the support of Reformers, and advised him before doing anything rash to visit Gisborne and ask the advice of his constituents. Lie agreed to do so, and actually telegraphed tp Gisborne calling a meeting. However, when be found that I intended to be present at that meeting, lie changed his mind and did not go to Gisborne, but instead the same evening asked his leader, Mr Massey, from the floor of the House, to resign - his position as Leader and let a better man take his place. Just one instance of bow ]oyaf a Reformer Mr Lysnar. is. The whole of the Reform Party were justly incensed against Mr Lysnar, and have since then been very anxious to see him deposed as member for Gisborne. In 1925, I was directed by Mr Coates to proceed to Gisborne to choose a Reform candidate outside of Mr Lysnar. I approached many reputable citizens in Gisborne, who all refused to stand, and the Reform Party, therefore, had no option but to support Mr lysnar. Mr McLeod, Minister for Lands, also visited Gisborne about the same period, and in the Club and around the town generally condemned Mr Lysnar for his attitude to Mr Massey. It was not until after the purchase of the Te Wera block that Mr McLeod became friendly with Mr Lysnar. The Reform Party in Gisborne, by resolution and correspondence, urged me to request the Prime Minister to allow them to choose a candidate outside of Mr Lysnar. During the present year, Mr Lysnar approached me in Wellington and told me that, in,his opinion, Mr Coates had failed, and that the Reform Party was bringing ruin to the country. He further suggested that he should link up with the United Party. 7 asked him how he proposed to stand. He said as an Independent, and I told him that we did not require any Independents in the United Party. If there is any question of a political twister in the campaign, that gentleman is Mr W. D. Lysnar. Perhaps vou, Sir, in a come-back to this letter, if you have the courage to publish it, wid class me as a I ‘twister” olso., because I have left the Reform Party. In case vou do, I would like to state that, I'V~ ,r Clayton, lam a New Zealander first, and a party man afterwards. If the party that I have supported is doing something that I consider detrimental to New Zealand, then, as a good citizen of this country,- it is my duty to oppose them. In a letter to me dated 29th August. 1928, and in reply to my request that he should contest the seat as a United Party candidate, Mr Clayton says: “I ask you. and.your friends, to exhaust all your resources to secure a candidate to contest^ the seat before again asking me. The only real inducement for me to undertake the task is my feeling of patriotism and duty to the country.” These are the sentiments of the man whom you are vilifying and calling a twister. It ill becomes any supporter of the Reform Party or any member of the Reform Party to talk about political twisters. Thev only need to look to the head of the party, several members of the aninet, and many members of the Party to see where the nolitical twisters are The Reform 'Partv generally, and the tied-Reform journals throughout the Dominion, however, have been fighting a clean campaign to date, and it has been left to the Gisborne Times to descend to tne journalistic gutter in an endeavor to defeat a man, whom it should he proud to claim as a representative m •p.orlmmont for the Gisborne elector-

ate. As a citizen of Gisoorne ■ ly interested in the welfare of the electorate, having a fair knowledge of the political situation as it afreets the Dominion and the Gisborne electorate in particular, and having closely watched Mr Lysnar’s career in the House, I ask the citizens of Gisborne to vote for Mr Clavton. the United Party candidate, at the forthcoming elections. I regret having to make these disclosures, but you have yourself to blame for it, and, in conclusion, mav I say that, if you persist in vour present methods against the United Party candidate. I shall he reluctantly compelled to talce steps in retaliation. —I am vours, etc., . • A. E. DAVY, • Dominion Organiser, United Party. Wellington, November 7.

fit will be noted that Mr Daw has left his communication so late that all the persons whose names he drags in may not have an opportunity to reply to him. As far as this journal is concerned, it has no occasion to he perturbed as a result of his jibes, for it is in no way tied to any political party. Whilst lending its aid to the 'Reform party, on the ground that that party is worthy of support, the right of criticism is reserved and, as is well-known to its readers, is freely exercised. Mr Davy's effort to shield Mr Clayton from criticism will create much amusement, seeing that both threw oyer their allegiance. to the Reform Party—and all its political principles—bn account of the fact that they could not get their own way in: connection with private, but separate, quarrels within the Reform organisation. In fairness to Mr Lysnar, ai» Polling Day is only .a Yejv days off. he has been permitted to replv in this issue to Mr Davy’s comments: concerning himself Mr Lvsnar says it is quite true that ip. 1994 he had the power to bring about the downfall of ,the Reform Government He had, however, never attempted td move a no-confidence motion because no advantage would have keen gained by adopting such a course of action. Mr Lysnar went . on -to sa o’waß‘’<ii»te'"I"untrue'' 1 "untrue'' that ue hhepsCnVu,' w|re .to G isborne. ,-conven,'rig a meeting of; his supporteis. The .suggestion : thatT he. was . ‘ qwing toM-' '; ©•ayy*) eate-ing. to -<

-attend such' a meeting was ludicrous. If such a meeting had been called, he would have seen to it that Mr Davy would not have been allowed to attend it! What happened between the local Reform League and, himself in 1925 he had already explained fully during the campaign. There would have been no trouble at all, if it had not been for Mr Clayton and another gentleman, who were, at the bottom of the hostility to him. Everybody knew that Mr Coates gave him his seal for the 1925 . election,. and it was equally .wellknown that he secured a much greater majority at that election than he had done in 1922, 'showing that, if Mr Clayton and his friend were against him, the electors in much larger numbers -were for him. What happened when the Hon. Mr McLeod:was in Gisborne he- did not know; that was the business of his enemies and Mr McLeod. It was . a straight-out falsehood that he had told Mr Davy that he wanted, to join up with the United Party this year. As a matter of fact, he had had no conversation at all with Mr Davy on political matters. since Mr Davy had left the service of the Reform Party last year. Why should he? Only once or twice had he met Mr Davy this year and that was on the street, when they had exchanged .the customary greetings and indulged in casual conversation. Mr Davy had come to this district some weeks hack looking for a candidate for the United Party and had interviewed so many people who had turned him down that his mind must have become horribly confused as to who he did and who lie didn’t see! What mattered most to-day was this: that Mr Coates had informed the local Reform League that he was quite satisfied with him (Mr Lysnar) and that he (Mr Lysnar) would again carry his seal. So much for *the high standing which Mr Lysnar has in the estimation of the Prime Minister. But to return to Mr Daw’s attack on this journal. He was under no necessity to challenge it -to publish his letter; the opportunity, we can assure him, was welcomed. If Mr Daw reckoned that his letter would assist Mr Clayton he must prove to be sadly mistaken. Mr Clayton was, at the cutset, under a big enough handicap in any effort to convince the electors that he was justified in turning his coat, for his explanation to the electors or the noint was in itself self-condemnatory. If that handicap had not existed, his mistaken and amazing electioneering tactics would have settled anv sm’alf chance of success that he may have imagined he had of winning the seat. Elections are never won by such means, as his earlier experiences should have taught him. —Ed. G.T.]