CHALLENGE TO FIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22099, 3 May 1935, Page 14

CHALLENGE TO FIGHT

CANDIDATE AND CRITIC

A REMARK RESENTED

i MR. STALLWQRTHY'S ACTION

• There was a tense moment in the Town Hull concert chamber last night during an address given by Mr. A. J. Stallworthy, M.P., one of the candidates for the Auckland Mayoralty, when a member of the audience who had accused Mr. Stallworthy of voting for the reduction of pensions and wages referred to tho candidate as a " dirty our " This expression was warmly resented by a large section of tho audience, Mr. Stallworthy was immediately on his feet, offering to settle with the man "in the ring," but no more was heard from the interjector.

There was an audience which almost ' filled the concert chamber and the f speaker, who followed the linos of his < earlier addresses, was well received, lhe t Rev. W. W. Aver ill, who presided, 1 said that because ho believed Mr. Stall- * worthy had tho will to improve the present condition of the great body of tho citizens and the determination to carry hid proposals through, lie com- ( mended the candidate to tho elcctois. Mr. Stallworthy quoted extensively from his .manifesto and developed many . of its points. He received an attentive ( hearing and was frequently applauded. ( It was not until questions were called . for that there was any sign of opposition. The interjector who mado tho ( offensive remark started to ask a question, which developed into a speech. In referring to tho condition of the unein- | ployed he said Mr. Stallworthy belonged to a Government which had brought it about, tho speaker ending with the epithet. „ Salary Reductions Jumping to his feet and angrily addressing the speaker, Mr. Stallworthy, after expressing his resentment, said-'"You loqk a hit heavier than L but if von like to choose a second 1 •will settle this in the ring you. ' This challenge was received with applause. but was not accepted. Another questioner in a near by seat, however, took up the matter of tho candidate's vote in the House on the pensions and wages reductions. Flourishing a sheet of paper, lie asked whether the candidate had or had not voted for reductions in salaries, pensions and charwomen's wages, as provided in a Finance Bill in 1931. Mr Stallworthy said no such bill had been before Parliament during; hi* membership. There was an Act in which provided for a cut in civil servants' salaries. The Prime Minister had assured the members of the Cabinet that owing to the difficult financia position ,at that time it would he either to reduce the _ servants' salary bill or dispense with the services of many State employees who would never be reinstated, here were then 43,000 registered unemployed who had no income. He had voted for the bill under pressure, although h< had urged the Prime Minister to make an appeal to the country, and a cer tain section of the Labour Party was using it against him. Attitude to Pensions Since' that time he had voted for a restoration of wages, but his Labour critics.did not tell the public that. Ho had also voted for a reduction in his own Parliamentary salary but the, Labour members had not done so. Mr. | Stallworthy said tho reductions in pen-; sions were provided for in the Nationa Expenditure Adjustment Bill, and in every vote taken he had voted agaihst the Government. . : "Surclv in endeavouring to make political capital out of such matters, therb should bo some sense of decency sand fairness," said Mr. Stallworthy. "In all the divisions on the proposals i to reduce pensions I voted in company > with the Labour members, and 1 ha\e sufficient faith in their sense of fairness to know that if they were here they would support me in what 1 ha\e Mr D Dawson Donaldson, a candidate 'for the City Council and tho Auckland Transport Board, also spoke.