DISSATISFIED!

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16975, 5 March 1926, Page 5

DISSATISFIED!

UNSUCCESSFUL REFORM NOMINEES.

"UNDER LOCK AND KEY."

EDFN SEAT,

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night

Seven unsuccessful nominees rbr selection as Ihe Reform candidate foi Eden express themselves as exceedingly dissatisfied over the methods followed at the selection meeting. They slate they were kept under lock and I.xy in the room, anil were only allowed out in turn to address the meeting. 'What particularly annoys them is the fact thai. Sir .Tames (inrison, the sueeissful candidate,, did not have similar restrictions imposed upon h;;n. The iollowitig telegram has been despatched to the Prime Minister, Air. .i. G. Co.ites:

"Eden By-Election Protest by Reform Candidates. —We, the undersigned candidates, who submitted our names for ballot in connection with the selection of a, candidate in the Reform interests in the above by-elec-tion, desire In re-affirm the protest already entered by us before the ballot. was taken by delegates at, Mount Albert, on. March 1. There were serious irregularities in. connection with the proceedings, and we, therefore, decline, to hold ourselves bound by bur pledges.

"While there were a number of irregularities, our chief criticism is that .while we were all kept strictly tinder lock and key as prisoners, and eonr ducted one by one under strict con; trol to the audience chamber, nM'not allowed to hear each; other's sppoche-s, Sir James Gunson was ..given preferential treatment in that he was allowed his liberty and 'was in a position to hear the speeches of the other candidates.

"The organiser wrls in private communication v, ith Sir James Gunson throughout, tho evening. "We ask the Reform'Party to stand by the. pledges given to us on their behalf that we would be given fair play if we put ourselves in the hands of our party. "Ellen Melville. "S. Oldfield. "W. J. Ta.it., "D. J. Fleming. "L. E. Rhodes. "B. Bunn. ''David B. Russell." MISS MELVILLE AS INDEPENDENT. Miss Ellen Melville has definitely announced herself as an independent candidate for tho Eden seat. She was next to Sir J. Gunson in order of selection at the delegates' meeting. Sir James Gunson, when questioned regarding-the complaint of the rejected Reform aspirants for the Eden seat, declined to make a statement. He said he was not responsible for any grievance malcontents might have. He had carried out all that had devolved upon him, and had appeared before tho delegates. Mr. J. Fleming, one of tho rejected aspirants, dissociates himself from tho public protest made by the others and pledges his support to Sir J. Gunson. Tho Reform Party organiser, Mr. A. E. Davy, says the malcontents' protost is ridiculous in the extreme, and the charges have no foundation in fact. The candidates could have gone into tho street, and joined Sir James Gunson, as the door leading to the street was open. The reason for locking the other door wns to keep the public out, not tho candidates in.