CORRIGAN INCIDENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19143, 8 October 1925, Page 13

CORRIGAN INCIDENT.

MEMBER'S FURTHER ATTACK.! 7 ANOTHER PALPABLE DODGE." reprimand by minister. Reference to the "Corrigan incident." particularly the speech by Mr. J. R. Corrigan at. a meeting in the Patea electorate on Monday evening, was made yesterday by Sir James Parr,, who said: "When Mr. Corrigan was bowled out the other day by myself in a deliberate attempt to circulate throughout his electorate charges against me which he had previously unreservedly withdrawn, he rose in his place in the House- and said he was very sorry for what he had done and he undertook to explain on every platform that he had withdrawn the charges against me. He said, further, that he would do his best as a man to clear the matter up. " But instead of carrying out his promise to the House and to myself and putting the matter right, Mr. Corrigan has been guilty of another palpable dodge and evasion which has much aggravated the matter. He asks the electors of Patea to believe that, because I defended my own honour against his serious charges, this was merely what he terms 'electioneering tactics.' Mr. Corrigan, with his strange mentality, seems incapable of recognising the fact that a public man, who has borne a good reputation through 25 years of public life, strongly resents a baseless cb argje of personal dishonesty and corruption. " But this is not all. The member for Patea, having been exposed in the most contemptible of 'electioneering tactics," namely, the blackening of a Minister's character, attempts to shift his ground. He says that the Minister for Justice should answer a charge that the Minister appointed only five justices of the peace in the Patea district. Here again Mr. Corrigan misleads his electors. 1 explained the position fully in the E.ouse, and he knows it. The facts are that Mr. Corrigan attempted to abuse his privilege of nominating gentlemen for the office of justice of the peace. The usual practice is to appoint not more than four or five gentlemen for eacb electoral district when the commission is issued every year. "Mr. Corrigan had the temerity to ask me to appoint 17 men in his constituency iii one wholesale lot. Such a request has never before been made to the Minister for Justice by any member of Parliament., I declined to consent to 'stuff' the roll of justices in this manner—hence Mr. Corrigan's displeasure. It was my duty to cut the number down. The Under-Secre-tary for Justice advised me that, although the men were all of good character, only four or five appointments were really necessary, and " that number were appointed. I do- not know tljeir politics even now. " If those appointed are Reformers, Mr. Corrigan is responsible as nominated them and gave them first place in his list. For instance, at Hawera, three gentlemen were nominated, when only one was required. The department recommended, and I appointed, the gentleman who was at the head of Mr. Corrigan s own list. But this matter is merely a herring drawn across the scent, Mr. Gorriean is evidently in serious difficulties with his electors because of his false charges against a Minister of land speculation, and he is clutching at any straw to extricate himself."

THE LABOUR LEADER.

POOR OPENING MEETING. GOVERNMENT HOPES BRIGHT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WESTPORT. Wednesday Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Partv, opened his election campaign at Westport- last evening in the Victoria Theatre. At the commencement the attendance was approximately 190, and it is estimuted that at no time were more than 226 people present-. Encouraging reports for the Government continue to come in from all parts of the district.

BAY OF ISLANDS SEAT.

MR. ALLEN BELL'S OPENING. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TC MT AT A, Wednesday. The Government candidate for the Bay of Islands seat, Mr. Allen Bell, opened his campaign at Houhora last evening. The meeting was well attended and the candidate was frequently applauded during his vigorous address for which he was accorded a vote of thanks.

THE THAMES ELECTORATE.

ADDRESS BY MR. T. W. RHODES [3Y TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WHITIANGA, Wednesday. Mr. T. W. Rhodes addressed a largelyattended meeting of the Mercury Bay electors, and received a vote of thanks and confidence. He, said that owing to there being 86 polling booths in the Thames electorate it would be impossible to hold a meeting at each place.