UNITED PARTY TROUBLES

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1930, Page 11

UNITED PARTY TROUBLES

SQUABBLE IN WELLINGTON A DUNEDIN MEMBER’S VERSION. NO SIGN OF PARTY SPLIT. By Telegraph.—Pre»s Association. Dunedin, Last Night. A prominent local member of the United Party, in conversation with a Daily Times reporter to-day, threw some light on the recent trouble in the ranks of the party. He stated that the dismissal of Mr. Davy was due to a squabble in Wellington. None of the local branches had .been consulted in the matter and they had received no communication so far as he knew since Mr. Davy’s services had been dispensed with. The local executive of the party had not held a meeting to consider, the matter, but he knew that among members there was a certain amount of sympathy with Mr. Davy, though it was considered that he should not have made his criticism of the party available for publication. r From the remarks of the Dunedin member it was plainly indicated that the meeting at which Mr. Davy was dismissed was by no means representative of the party as a whole. He stated that all the executives had been clamouring for a meeting of delegates, which would elect a Dominion executive. • There was a Dominion executive at present, but it had been self-appointed at the time when the party had teen formed. It was composed of representatives of the centres and about seven others. Members outside Wellington ■ had not teen invited when the meeting had been held to eject Mr. Davy from office. There was no doubt that the meeting was not entitled to dismiss Mr. . Davy, but as the party was not properly constituted he could obtain nd redress from the courts. The member considered that as the whole of the members contributed to Mr. Davy’s salary they should have a voice in the question of whether he was to be dismissed dr not. Action had beeen taken by Wellington alone, and the trouble seemed to be due to a certain extent to differences between men who wanted to be at the head of the organisation. It is understood that Mr., Davy was in receipt of a salary of £l5OO a year. The Dunedin member was asked whether he knew anything regarding a rumour that there was a split in the party. He replied that he had not heard the rumour and added that so far as. Dunedin was concerned at least thebe was no sign of a split.