INTEREST IN ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19659, 10 June 1927, Page 13

INTEREST IN ELECTION.

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. TWO "TICKETS" CIRCULATED. APPOINTMENT OF SECRETARY. ' I A greater degree of interest than has obtained for several years centres about tho election of officers of the Auckland Metropolitan Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which will take place at the annual meeting to-day. Both the presidency and vice-presidency are contested and there will be a wide choice of candidates from wnom to select 30 committeemen. The presidency will be contested by Mr. W. W. Massey, the< present occupant of tho office, and Mr. A. J. Stratford. An alteration in the rules governing personnel provide that this year there shall be one, instead of two, vice-presidents. Messrs. A. D. Bell and J. Wyllie, who filled the positions last year, have resigned, and Messrs. S. Hamlin and G. R. Hutchinson are contesting the office. Nominations for seats on the committee do not close until to-day's meeting, but two "tickets" issued by opposing factions reveal that at least 49 candidates will be presented. The Forty-nine Candidates. The first "ticket," which advocates for the most part the re-election of sitting officers, is as follows:—President, Mr. W. W. Massey; vice-president, Mr. G. R. Hutchinson; cornmitteo, Messrs. C. W. Anderson, S. H. Barton, A. D. Bell, C. G. Brookes, H. Brown, H. C. Bull, J. Austin Carr, G. C. Codlin, E. Cordes, G. Finn, S. B. Grant, H. C. Grierson, S. Hamlin, S. Hodge, J. P. Kalaugher, M. B. Kirkbride, W. J. Lopdell, M. G. McArthur, J. McLeod, J. T. F. Mitchell, L. W. Nelson, W. J. Pascoe, A. W. Perkins, W. Pratt, T. Simpson, W. H. Waterhouse, R. Munro Wilson, Jas. Wyllie, John Wyllie and R. Wright. The opposing "ticket" makes the following selection: —President, Mr. A. J. Stratford; vice-president, Mr. S. Hamlin; committee, Messrs. H. Brown, A. C. Jones, W. Coath, W. J. Lopdell, W. R. Roche, E. Cordes, J. Muir, S. B. Grant, J. Myer, W. McGowan, H. Bullock-Web-ster, John Wyllie, G. Wyllie, A. D. Bell, W. Knight, J. Sandford, W. G. Mulholland, A. W. Perkins, A. A. Swaffield, R. Dawson, E. M. Tapp, A. S. Holmes, W. H. Reynolds, S. K. Gordon, W. Dickinson and W. Norrish. It will be noticed that the names of Messrs. Brown, Lopdell, Cordes, Grant, John Wyllie, Bell and Perkins appear in both lists. This, it was stated yesterday by one prominently associated with the organisation, is an earnest of the desire of both sides to retain the services of a number of committeemen regardless of their allegiance to one or otner of the parties. Nor is there, it was said by some of the candidates interviewed, any suggestion of a town versus country element in the election. The Position of Secretary. A circular issued by the sponsors of the first ticket, known as the "blue" ticket, endorses the appointment of the new man-aging-secretary, advocates a fair distribution of seats between town and country, and emphasises the need for reorganisation in the matters of new offices, future show grounds, a winter show yard, and the consideration of the Otahuhu property. Several of those associated with the second "ticket." when asked for a statement of their platform, declined to make a pronouncement of an official character. It was stated, however, that efforts are to be made to secure the reinstatement of Mr. A. D. Stanley as secretary of the association, on the grounds that the appointment of Mr. W. F. O'Donnell to the position was irregular. It is argued by those holding this view that the new appointment was made by a bare majority of 13 to 12 of the committee, and thai, as the annual meeting was so close at hand at the time, the question could easily have been deferred until then, when something more nearly approaching the consensus of opinion of the whole association would have been obtainable. Legal Advice Secured. "Tho highest legal opinion has been secured as to the regularity of the election at which a successor was appointed to Mr. Stanley, and our desire is to save tho association from the result of its acts." said a member of the second faction last evening. "One of those who voted for Mr. Stanley's replacement," he added, "was three years in arrears with his subscription, yet the rules state that unfinancial members cannot exercise the franchise. That point has been challenged and will be challenged again." This informant stated also that the appointment of Mr. Stanley's successor had not yet been confirmed.