DEMOCRAT CONFERENCE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 23 August 1935, Page 5

DEMOCRAT CONFERENCE

LEADER NOT YET CHOSEN THREE NAMES MENTIONED NO OFFICIAL STATEMENT Morning, afternoon and evening meetings were held yesterday by the candidates and. prospective candidates of the Demorcrat Party at present in conference in (Wellington. At the dinner adjournment it was hoped to finish the conference last night, but as the evening advanced it was realised this was Impossible and that it would be necessary to resume this morning. The indications now are that the conference will not conclude until this afternoon. No announcement was obtainable for publication when the conference adjourned last night, but it is possible an official statement will be issued at the conclusion of the proceedings. Chief interest attaches to the leader ship of the party. The names being, mentioned in this connection include those of the Mayor of Wellington, Mr I T. C. A. Hislop, who is presiding over the conference; Dr. G. J. Adams, of Wanganui, deputy-chairman of the conference; and Mr J. B. Donald, of Auckland, M.P. for Auckland East from 1928 to 1931, and PostmasterGeneral in the United Administration. Mr Donald returned to Auckland by the Limited express last night. His departure from Wellington before the conclusion of the conference, however, has no special significance, being due to the illness of his wife.

All yesterday the sub-committees appointed by the conference the previous day were working on questions of detail relating to the policy with which the Democrat Party proposes to go to the country, and last night its delegates sat as a general conference to discuss and consider the reports from these committees. This discussion will be continued to-day.

The proceedings were attended by 50 jdfeleg&tes—three mo-re than }the number present on the opening day of the conference on Wednesday. Sir Alexander Herdman was not present. Mr. J. I. Goldsmith, who had been announced as the Democrat candidate for the Wellington South seat, attended yesterday. A prospective candidate who has been at the conference is Mr It. W. Bothamley, chairman of the Hutt, Valley Electric Power Board and a member of the Makara bounty Council. The name of Mr. Bothamley has been mentioned at various times during the past twelve months as a. likely candidate for .the Otaki seat.

THE KAIAPOI SEAT NATIONAL-LIBERAL CANDIDATE (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 22. Mr. A. A,. McLachlan, who unsuccessfully contested the Riccarton seat in 1928 and 1931, has decided to stand for the Kaiapoi seat at the general election this year as a National Liberal candidate. . In acceding to a request by'a deputation of fifty people, Mr McLachlan criticised the remarks of Sir Alexander Herdman made at Auckland recently, expressing the opinion that they contained too much party hi Berness at a time when the utmost cooperation was needed. He said there was need for a complete abandonmentof the old party machines. INVERCARGILL SEAT NATIONALIST CANDIDATE v INVERCARGILL, Aug. 22. At a representative meeting of the Invercargill branch of the National Political Federation this evening, the Mayor, Mr John Miller, was unanimously selected as Nationalist candidate for the Invercargill seat at the general election.