HAWKE’S BAY SEAT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 354, 13 February 1917, Page 2

HAWKE’S BAY SEAT.

I Ito nv ebitor. 1 i Sir, —The bald statement appearing under the- heading of “The Hawke’s Bav r Seat” that. “Mr. Clapham has expressed his intention of; fighting the election if Mr. Simson j becomes the selected candidate” is i neither quite fair to Mr. Sinison or I to myself. You have made it appear as a- kind of personal challenge on | my part to Air. Simson’s candidature, while this was not altogether intended. Personally I have never been so friendly disposed to Air. Simson as I am to-day, but this of course would not in the slightest (degree affect my attitude toward him as a candidate. Aly chief concern in this important matter of the selection of a candidate, is to secure as the representative .of ’ 1 Hawke’s Bay a man of sincerity, character, ability and courage of Liberal views standing for justice for all. We are selecting a man to g-rapple with the greatest problems —the most complex which have ' ever confronted any nation. These involve not only our relationship to Britain and the other parts of this Empire, but also the difficult and i even more complex problem of seI curing justice and a properly generous attitude towards the men or I t heir dependents who have had to ! sacrifice everything to their country’s needs, and to remember those sacrifices even when the danger of i the time is passed. I trust that, a ; better and abler man than myself , will be selected for this momentous > work, but. one is naturally and properly anxious that the selection ' shall not fall on anyone entirely unsuited for the place, and it roust be admitted that our methods of selection are necessarily very imperfect. I am, etc., G. SPENCER CLAPHAM.