EDEN BY-ELECTION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 3 April 1926, Page 2

EDEN BY-ELECTION

HEATED CONTEST MISS MELVILLE'S ALLEGATIONS In an adddress to the electors of Eden, Miss Melville, one of the candidates, stated htat she had been offered a sum of money to retire in favour nl Sir James Gunson. If such offer were rade. and so far it lias not been refuted. it was* an individual one. and not on behalf of the Reform Party, states the Times Auckland correspondent Although two days have passed since j Miss Melville made her allegation that she had been offered pecuniary and i tlier inducements to retire from the Eden by-election, the. Reform headquarter si In. Auckland have made no statement in denial or otherwise. It is understood.. however, that no offer was made, on behalf of the party. Whether aii official made satcli an offer in his private capacity, only he himself can say. and so far he has not elected to reply to the allegation. With regard to the breakaway of three Auckland Reform members in opposition to Sir Janies Gunson. it seems that Air J .S. Dickson (Parnell) has altered his attitude, ami lie lias now declared himself publicly as being a supporter of Sir Janies Gunson. llis volte lace recalls an episode at the beginning of the. 1924 session, when he showed some signs of restiveness in a public statement, but subsequently, under Ah' .Massey’s influence, lie returned humbly to the party fold. Air Dickson is the senior Government Whip, and as such he has called in Government supporters to support Sir James Gunson. SUPPORT FORTH COAIIN G Another sign that the party is rallying was the appearance at Sir James Guitson's meeting in the ill-starred Kosit Theatre, .Mount Albert, of Air L. E. Rhodes, Mayor of Alount Albert. He was one of the unsuccessful aspirants for party nomination and associated himself with Aliss .Melville and five others in a protest against the alleged partiality of the methods used to secure Sir James Gunson's nomination. Last evening, however, Air Rhodes came out in another role. He remarked that the people of the district had followed with interest Sir James Gunson'a career as Mayor of Auckland, and in other capacities, and they recognised his ability, lie had been a good friend to Mount Albert anil lie well deserved the. residents' ■ support in the present election. Later in the meeting Sir James Gunf.iri referred to the defamatory statements regarding hismself as broadcasted liv "Nosey Parker." Some might have heard it suggested, said Sir James (Huron. that he was interested in, a. lot of land down near a mad that was being umcretc-d. "This is nut a jocular matter with me. ladies and gentlemen," lie declared. "You have, a right to ask me for a reply, and 1 claim the right to give ' it. It is all election lies. Tam not interested directly, or indirectly, nor is holding an interest on my behalf in any land either in Eden or in Auckland City. During the whole term of my Mayoralty I never had any interest. direct, or indirect, nor did nnv--Ine hold anv interest on my behalf in any land in Auckland City, except my own business premises which were acquired by lease in the proper way." _ Si.i'h suggestions against him. said Sir James, had been made in a pamphlet, copies of which some of the audience might have seen. "The police have 1 nine hi me without any action on my |itir!, he added, "and have said to me. ‘There is no need for you to do anything ••bout this pamphlet ; \ve will take'nction 'Hiller the Crimes Act in regard to it’ " (Applause). STATEMENT BY MR COATES Whim the statements credited to Aliss Melville were referred to the Prime .Minister. Mr Coates said that lie knew nothing whatever about the matter. 'l'lie Reform Party would deprecate any such practices. At no time had anybody been authorised, directly or indirectly, by the executive ’of the Reform Party to approach any candidate with the object of inducing them to. retire from anv contest. Anything in tiie nature of a financial inducement to alleei a candidate's actions was ablior- ’ cut to the party. The selection of fandidat n s in electorates was left entirely to the electors, nix) once a candi date wan chosen by delegates assembled, the party executive took no further act ion.