ROTORUA SEAT

Southland Times, Issue 25359, 10 August 1935, Page 5

ROTORUA SEAT

INTERESTING SITUATION. STATEMENTS AND DENIALS. (Per United Press Association.) Rotorua. August 9. An interesting political situation has developed in Rotorua regarding the nomination of the Democrat Party. Earlier this week Mr F. W. Doidge, of Auckland, announced that he would be a candidate for the seat, but, although he indicated that he agreed with Sir Alexander Herdman's recent statement and would oppose the National and Labour Parties, he. did not commit himself to any definite political alignment. Although a definite announcement has been made by the party, the opinion was popularly held that Mr Doidge would be the Democrat candidate and, on his visit to the district, he was sponsored by persons and supporters of the party in the electorate. An announcement was made in Auckland yesterday that Mr IL H. Corbin, formerly a professor on the staff of the Auckland University College and a well-known Forestry expert, had received the Democrat Party’s nomination for the seat. It was stated in the course of the announcement by the Auckland committee of the party that “an influential deputation of Rotorua residents waited on Mr Corbin and requested him to stand in the Rotorua Democratic interests.”

Interviewed to-day, supporters of the party in Rotorua denied that any such deputation had waited upon Mr Corbin and expressed the opinion that Mr Doidge would be an excellent candidate to represent the party if he would agree to stand. Mr Doidge, in an interview, said that the Auckland announcement did not affect his decision one iota. He had received most encouraging support and, on the strength of this, was determined to proceed with his campaign. He was not allied to any political party. Beyond sharing the views expressed by Sir Alexander Herdman and Mr J. D. Caro, of Hamilton, he had an open mind in connection with the Democrat Party.

Subsequently a statement was issued from Auckland to the effect that no committee of the Democrat Party existed in Rotorua and no one here was competent, to speak for the party. The position is that no Democrat committee exists, but sympathizers and supporters of the party deny the statement in regard to the Rotorua request to Mr Corbin to stand.