KEEN CONTEST LIKELY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20520, 22 March 1930, Page 12

KEEN CONTEST LIKELY.

CHOICE OF CANDIDATES*

FIELD OF FOUR INDICATED.

UNITEDS ACCEPT CHALLENGE,

The determination of the United Party to contest tho Parnell by-election against Mr. H. E. Jenkins, the party's official candidate of 1928, makes foi&r candidates virtually certain. Mr. Jenkias, on early indications, seems likely to Lave pitted against him official candidates . from the United Party, the Reform Party and the Labour Party and the contest is therefore likely to be invested with exceptional interest.

The attitude of the Auckland provincial executive of the United Party was explained by the chairman Mr. J. Trovithick last evening. ''The electors of Parnell returned Mr. Jenkins as a supporter of the United Party," he said. "Mr. Jenkins has now severed his allegiance with the Government and he has taken the only honourable course open to him by deciding to submit the issue to the electors of his constituency. Former Member to Stand. "The United Party will certainly accept the challenge and will contest the seat, having every assurance of retaining the confidence of tho electors in support of the Government. A meeting of tho provincial executive of the party will bo held to-morrow morning to deal with the situation. I cannot say yet what lino of action we will take but we will certainly contest the seat.".

Asked in what manner the party would choose its candidate Mr. Trevilhick said he did not want to say anything about that for the time being. It was a domestic matter of the organisation. The candidaturo of Mr. J. S. Dickson, who held tho seat for 17 years in the Reform interests, was announced yesterday. Mr. Dickson said 110 would stand as a Reform candidate, whatever happened. He was unable to say at that stage whether ho would receive the official nominatiou. Air. Dickson Was, at tho time of his defeat by Mr. Jenkins, the senior whip of the Reform Party. Jt is probable that a meeting of the Auckland executive of the Reform League will be held early next week to consider the situation in Parnell. In the ordinary course of events, the Reform committee in the Parnell electorate will meet on Wednesday evening." Labour to Enter Contest.

Labour is also determined to contest the seat, and the Labour Representation Committee will. meet not later than Tuesday to set about tho preliminaries of choosing a'candidate. In accordance with practice,, nominations for Labour's candidate will bo invited by the Labour Representation Committee, and a ballot taken to determine * the selection. All unionists affiliated to the Labour Representation Committee and who are electors of the district will be entitled to a vote at the ballot.

The Labour candidate for Parnell at the last election, was Mr. J. W. Yarnall, and jt is understood he is again prepared to submit his name to the ballot for selection. The probability is that there will be at least another aspirant for the party's imprimatur.

Following the receipt of Mr. Jenkins' resignation, the vacancy will be notified in the Gazette, and the way will be clear for the Speaker to issue his warrant to the clerk of writs for- the by-election. The writ will name the date for the closing of nominations and for the election. The writ is returnable within 40 days. It is customary for the date of a by-election to be announced prior to the issue of the writ and it is thus probable that the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, after consultation with his colleagues, will follow that course. As Easter is only four weeks away, it will be necessary to choose tho date of the byelection with some care. The official figures for the Parnell seat at the last general election arc as follows

Mr. H. K. Jenkins (United) . 5642 Mr. J. S. Dickson (Reform) 4793 Mr. J. W. Yarnall (Labour) »* 1661 Majority for Mr Jenkins . w 849