CANDIDATES WILL SELECT LEADER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18546, 21 August 1928, Page 11

CANDIDATES WILL SELECT LEADER.

NATIONAL PARTY HAVE ARRANGED CONFERENCE.

(Special to the “Star.") AUCKLAND, August 21,

“It is a complete surprise to hear that an invitation has been sent to Sir Joseph Ward to accept the leadership,” said Mr A. J. Stall worthy', the United Party candidate for Eden, when the Winnipeg cablegram was shown to him last evening. "Certainly I have nev'er been consulted about it, nor has any other Auckland candidate. If there had been any genuine movement of the kind I am sure I should have heard about it. Probably the whole thing is camouflage.” Mr Stall worthy added that such an action as that mentioned in the cablegram would have been a clear breach of the undertaking given to all candidates by party officials, namely, that the leadership would not be canvassed in any way, pending a conference of all the selected candidates. This would be held shortly in Wellington for the purpose of selecting a leader and considering details of the party’s policy. The Dominion organiser (Mr Davy) had informed him last week that the selection would be left entirely to the conference, because it was recognised that the matter was one of extreme importance to every candidate. Neither he, nor any other candidate, to his knowledge, had authorised the executive, or any person, to approach Sir Joseph Ward. He had heard the names of several possible leaders mentioned in casual conversation, but Sir Joseph’s was not among them. He did not believe Sir Joseph would stand any chance of being selected by the conference.

Mr O. Moller, provincial organiser, also stated that he was certain the communication received by Sir Joseph Ward was not official. A conference of the party’s candidates, over fifty in number, would be held in Wellington early next month to select a leader and to complete the framing of the party’s policy'. The actual selection of the leader would be left entirely to the candidates, and at least half a dozen nlmes would be submitted. In these circumstances it was impossible for anyone to have offered the position to Sir Joseph Ward. There might have been some unofficial communication to him, asking if he would allow his name to be submitted to the party for consideration.