THE GENERAL ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18222, 16 October 1922, Page 8

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

CHRISTCHURCH NORTH SEAT.

REFORM CANDIDATE IN FIELD.

In announcing that h© would contest the Christchurch North seat as a straightout Reform candidate, Mr. E. H. Andrews stated that intrigue had been going on, most of it due to attempts by the New Zealand Welfare League to confine the contest to Mr. Ifiitt and Mr. Arcner. While in Wellington some time ago, he had seen Mr. Massey and Mr. Massey then was very strongly in his favoiu-,' as were other prominent members of the .Reform .Party. !L(arge numbers of Reformers fo Christchurch North had also expressed themselves as determined to support his candidature, though a small group of Papanui Reformers were against him. However, the people in the eastern end of St. Albans were in the majority, and he was certain of their support. For that reason he had decided, to come out as a straight-out Reformer. The Welfare League did not want the Reform Party executive to nominate a candidate, and at one time it had threatened to nominate a Liberal candidate for Lyttelton against Mr. Macartney, if the Reform Party put a candidate up against Mr. Isitt for Christchurch North. That was one phase of the extraordinary bargaining that had been going on. He knew as a fact that if he had declined to stand, another Reform candidate would nave come forward, 60 that there would have been a triangular duel in any case.