TWO LABOUR ASPIRANTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20962, 27 August 1931, Page 13

TWO LABOUR ASPIRANTS.

BOTH FOR SAME SEAT. PARTY SPLIT IN GREY LYNN. MR. BARTRAM AS INDEPENDENT. FORMER MEMBER FOR DISTRICT. An invitation to stand for Grey Lynn as an Independent Labour candidate was accepted last evening by Mr. F. N. Bartram, \vh<?held the seat as a Labour member® from 1919 to 1928. Mr. Bartram announced his decision after receiving a requisition, signed by over 500 electors of the district, which was presented by a deputation headed bv Mr. W. Dickson. Labour's official candidate at the next general election is Mr. J. A. Lee, formerly member for Auckland East. Mr. Lee, Sir. Bartram and two other aspirants were rivals in a ballot held by the Labour Party several months ago to select a candidate, Mr. Lec being chosen. It was later stated that the ballot had been upset because of some informality, but Mr. Lee also won the second ballot. It is understood that I lie national executive of the party had declared the first ballot to be in order, but that decision was challenged at the annual conference of the Labour Party by Mr. James Purtell, one of the candidates, and by 49 votes to 17 it was decided to hold a second ballot. Mr. Bartram claims that unfair tactics were resorted to in the second ballot by the whole weight of the votes of the Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union being concentrated against him. Of the 341 votes cast, 77 were recorded by tramway workers, 66 by waterside workers and 49 by hotel workers. By virtue of his services to the electorate, Mr. Bartram claims to have every moral right to obtain the official support of the Labour Party. He says Mr. Lee was in the same position in Auckland East, but, although certain of selection there, Mr. Lee had allowed himself to be nominated for both Auckland East and Grey Lynn. Since then the party had decided that no one was eligible for nomination for more than ono selection ballot at the same time. Therefore, Mr. Bartram contends he has been made the chopping-block for straightening out the party's faulty constitution. These and other facts were put by Mr. Bartram before his committee, in whose hands he placed himself unreservedly. The committee unanimously decided that, in the interests of fair play and of everything worth while in the Labour cause, Mr. Bartram should proceed with his candidature. The sitting member for Grey Lynn is Mr. J. S. Fletcher, formerly a United Party supporter, but now an Independent He defeated Mr. Bartram in 1928 by 5489 votes to 5425. Mr. W. H. Murray will be the United candidate on this occasion. The entry into the contest of Mr. Bartram makes four candidates. THE THAMES SEAT. . RETIREMENT OF MR, MASON. [BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WAIHI. Wednesday. Mr. Colin Mason, who was chosen by the United Party to contest the Thames seat at the general election, has withdrawn his nomination owing to private reasons. The party's candidate in place of Mr. Mason lias not yet been announced, but the decision of the district committee will be made known in the course of a few days.