PAYMENT OF CANDIDATES’ EXPENSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22712, 26 October 1935, Page 24

PAYMENT OF CANDIDATES’ EXPENSES

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —In your issue of Tuesday there appear these words, reported to have been uttered by Mr T. C. A. Hislop, leader of the Democrat Party, in Invercargill on October 21. I quote the words verbatim as they appear in your Tuesday’s issue: “Mr Hislop declared that the Government had gone to the people in desperation for candidates offering to pay all expenses and £250 afterwards.” This appears to my mind a declaration, most condemnatory of the Government, and sufficient to make all right-thinking electors of New Zealand vote against Government candidates ,at the coming election. I write, however, to ask if it is possible that there exists an explanation of these remarkable words. —I am, etc.. S. P. Q. R. [The statement quoted in the above letter has already been denied by the National Political Federation so far as it relates to Otago, and, as Mr Hislop has ignored this denial, it is reasonable to suppose that he acknowledges the inaccuracy of the assertion which he made It is not unusual or improper for a political organisation to defray the expenses of persons who offer themselves as candidates on its behalf: For this reason the Democrat Party, of which Mr Hislop is the leader, is not to be blamed for guaranteeing the election expenses of its candidates, nor is the Labour Party to be blamed for raising funds, by appeals to its supporters, in order to pay its candidates’ expenses.— Ed., O.D.T.]