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MR HARGEST

COMING TRANSFER INVERCARGILL TO AWARUA REASON FOR DECISION “The situation which has developed | quite unexpectedly in the last fort- | night has been the cause of my transfer ■ to Awarua as a candidate. Mr Per- | relle’s pending retirement, due to illhealth. has provided me with an opportunity to serve in the electorate where I live,” said Mr J. Hargest, M.P., in an interview last evening. "I must confess that in many ways I am leaving Invercargill with regret. The people honoured me with their confidence and I have had four happy years as their member. They have been difficult years in which most of the legislation that the exigencies ot the time demanded appeared to react against the cities’ interests. Actually no means other than those adopted could have ensured New Zealands emergence from the past depression. If a strain was imposed upon the loyalty of the constituents it was incredibly difficult for city representatives in Parliament to stand up to the succession of legislation which increased taxation and imposed greater burdens on the town dweller. What has assisted us in our task has been the knowledge that in saving the country interests we were saving those of the town. “On the other hand these four years have provided me with an opportunity of rendering some service to many hundreds of Invercargill citizens by presenting their claims to Parliament, to the Ministers and to the departments. This side of political life has been intensely interesting and has indeed been a very valuable experience. I think I can claim to have rendered the citv faithful service. “Until two days ago I fully intended to contest the Invercargill seat at the general election, and although the contest promised to be a strenuous one, I believe I had every reason to look forward to the result with the utmost confidence. That confidence was undoubtedly shared by my supporter’s, and I sincerely hope that there will linger no feeling of soreness at my transfer to the neighbouring electorate. “One result of this transfer should be to leave the field clear and to remove completely any possible feelings of hostility or misunderstanding that may have existed between the two wings of what is now the Nationalist Party. The way is open now for the selection of a candidate who will have the confidence of both these wings, for it is only in complete unity and mutual understanding that the coalescence of the two parties can be made a practical and a living thing. “I am in duty bound to my constituents to make it clear that until the last day of this Parliament—until the election results are announced —I am legally and morally the city’s representative; I am still the member for Invercargill. I shall use my best endeavours to discharge my duties to the city and its people. The loyalty and confidence I have had from the people I have tried to repay to the full. How far I have achieved this the people themselves know.”

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST19350814.2.84

Bibliographic details

Southland Times, Issue 25362, 14 August 1935, Page 8

Word Count
503

MR HARGEST Southland Times, Issue 25362, 14 August 1935, Page 8

MR HARGEST Southland Times, Issue 25362, 14 August 1935, Page 8