THE COMING ELECTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17293, 17 October 1919, Page 9

THE COMING ELECTIONS

AUCKLAND WEST SEAT. I MR. BENNETT'S CANDIDATURE MR ENTRICAN REJECTS OFFER, j I A meeting of the supporters! of Mr. C. j F. Bennett, a candidate for Auckland ! , West, was held in the Jervois Hall, Pon- j , sonby, last evening. Mr. J. W. Stewart | , presided over a good attendance. j , The chairman spoke of the importance j of the present period in the Dominion's ; politics, and said it was an occasion that j required the best representatives that ! could be obtained. The object of the j present meeting, he said, was to elect a < general committee to promote Mr. Ben- I nett's candidature. I Mr. R. A. Laid law, who also spoke, j warmly supported Mr. Bennett's Candida- I ture. j Mr. Bennett said that when he was ; first approached on the question of be- I coming a candidate he did not view the ! matter favourably, but when he after- J wards way waited upon by a large and I representative ' deputation he had con- j sen ted to stand. Referring to the subse- ! quent announcement of Mr. A. J. Entri- I ran'.- candidature, he said that on the ; suggestion of Mr. R. A. Laidlaw Mr. i Entrican had accompanied the former 10 I' the speaker's office, where a conversation ' took place. He (Mr. Bennett) said to Mr. Entrican: "I would like to know where you stand in politics." ; ■ Mr. Entrican replied that he was !an Independent Liberal. pledged to ' ! support neither of the present i i leaders, preferring, if elected, to nomin- I I ate his leader after going to the : : House. To this Mr. Bennett replied : — ; " Tf yon will stand as an Independent Pro- , gressive candidate., pledging yourself not !to support a vote of no-confidence., j moved by either the Ward or Labour I Parties, against the present Government, I I will immediately withdraw, with the i consent of my supporters, from the contest, and work tooth-and-nail to secure your return." Mr. Entrican. however, declined to accept this offer, and he (Mr. Bennett) felt that he should now explain to his supporters what had taken place at that meeting. He could not endorse : all the acts of the Massey party, or of : the National Government, but it certainly I reflected credit on Mr. Massey and his j colleagues of both parties in the National ; Government that the position of New ZeaI land at the end of the war was better l than that of any other English-speaking j conntry. If he were elected he would Igo to Parliament as a progressive reI former, and in the event of a no-confidence I motion he would vote in favour of the j present Government. On other questions j he would preserve a free hand, and the j right to act as he thought best. I On the question of Mr. Bennett's candidature being put to the meeting, it was unanimously resolved that the campaign should be proceeded with. A strong general committee was appointed, with power to add to its number. The com- j mittee met subsequently and appointed a number of sub-committees for the purpose of actively prosecuting the campaign.

THE ROTORUA SEAT. Mr. E. C. Banks, a. candidate for the Rotorua seat, is standing as a supporter of the present Government. BAY OF ISLANDS CAMPAIGN. Mr. St. Clair Jounneaux, the Independent Liberal candidate for the Bay of Islands electorate, has begun his political campaign. In his published platform he states that the great need of the country at present is a strong and steady Government that will develop its resources, protect and encourage the producers, and do justly by all the workers of the Dominion. THE WAIKATO SEAT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON. Thursday. Mr. C. Lafferty, a member of the Hamilton Borough Council, has announced his intention of contesting the Waikato seat against Mr. J. A. Young, the sitting member. Mr. Lafferty will stand as an Independent.

THE LYTTELTON CONTEST. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHTTRCH,- Thursday. Mr. R. MacArtney, a prominent Taitapu resident, will contest the Lyttelton seat at the general election in the Reform Party's interest.