“WORTH-WHILE PEOPLE”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 26 January 1939, Page 2

“WORTH-WHILE PEOPLE”

’ I To Tbe Editori Sir, — Will you kindly grant us space to reply to two statement Mr J. R. Kerr is reported as having made at a social evening in Motueka on the 23rd inst. 1. —“That the Labour Party in Motueka had been game enough to put up their candi ate ” 2. —ln referring to Mr Holyoake “He had the worth-while’ people behind him.” Regarding the gameness, or otherwise, of the Labour Party in Motueka, we can assure Mr Kerr that there was no occasion for courage in putting forward a candidate whose victory was a foregone conclusion for a period of some tw’o years prior to the recent elections During the life of the last Parliament a great deal was heard from Mr Kerr’* friends about members and minority votes. Now we have Mr Kerr squealing because the Nelson Labour Party did not oppose him. thereby denying him the opportunity of becoming the M.P. for Nelson on a minority vote. In dealing with the matter of “worthwhile” people, we would say that this is purely a matter of opinion, and our opinion is that Mr Kerr owes a public apology to every person who supported Mr C. F. Skinner during the recent election. If this is not forthcoming we would hardly consider him a perfect example of the “worth-while” people We would remind Mr Kerr that something more than bad manners and insults are required to qualify for a seat in Parliament, but perhaps after a few more defeats he will realise this for himself In three years (not six months) there will be another General Election, and if Mr Kerr could possibly arrange to be the National candidate on that occasion, how the Labour Party would welcome him in Motueka but we fear the National Party will not be so kind as to give us such an easy victory.—We are, etc., MOTUEKA LABOUR REPRESENTATION COMMITTEE. ARTHUR ROWLING. President. A. S. EDWARDS. Secretary. Motueka. 25th Jan