INDEPENDENTS' SPLIT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17607, 24 October 1931, Page 2

INDEPENDENTS' SPLIT

; . ME. POISON’S POSITION STATEMENT BY PASTY ' ' . (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. An interesting sidelight on the preliminaries to the inter-party committee . . was provided in a statement issued on behalf of the Independent members, declaring that Mr. vV. J. Poison (Inde- .. _ pendent. Stratford), did participate in the election of an Independent to serve on the inter-party committee. This statement, signed by Messrs. C. A. Wilkinson (Egmontl J. S. Fletcher (Grev Lynn), G. ; C. Black (Motueka), W. D. Lvsnar (Gisborne), and H. M Rushworth (Bay of Islands), is as fol- - lows: “Our attention has been directed to a report- in tin: press to the effect that Mr. Poison, member for Stratford, had stated in the House on Wednesday last that he had not participated in the election of an Independent member to serve on the inier-party committee set up to .investigate the economic condition of the --'..Dominion. “As this report is incorrect, perhaps, you would be so good as to- publish the following facts: When this special com- ■ 'puttee of the House was sfe't up the Independent members were requested to A. 7-nominate one of their number .to serve ' thereon. A preliminary meeting of Independent members was held imnyjdi- . ,atcly, and the member for Stratford was ■ - present thereat.. Owing to some unavoidable absences that meeting was adjourned and resumed the following Monday at the house occupied by tire member for Grey Lynn. The member for Stratford had an* urgent call to his 'j electorate and was not able to he present 1 at the adjourned meeting, but he deposited his voting paper with preferences marked thereon in a sealed envelope, which was entrusted to the custody of the Clerk of the House. “At the adjourned meeting the member for Stratford was a candidate for the nomination. His voting paper was produced, and taken cognisance of in the ballet that ensued. This ballot was supervised by Oh* Clerk of the House.