MR FLESHER WILL STAND FOR KAIAPOI.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18577, 27 September 1928, Page 4

MR FLESHER WILL STAND FOR KAIAPOI.

SELECTION WAS MADE AT MEETING YESTERDAY. Mr J. A. Flesher was selected as the Reform candidate for the Kaiapoi seat at a conference of supporters of the party held in the Chamber of Commerce, Christchurch, yesterday afternoon. There were two other candidates for the party’s nomination, Messrs J. W. Beanland and L. B. Evans, and two ballots were necessary in order, to decide who should be_ the - Official candidate for the .afeat; ... - Sixty-five delegates were appointee! to attend the conference and every one was in attendance, every polling centre in the electorate being represented. Mr G. Horrell was voted to the chair. Several members Of the North Canterbury executive of the Reform Party were also present;;,; .

Xhe conference passed a resolution,, unanimously agreeing to support the candidate who secured the nomination and to do everything possible to secure his election. A resolution of continued confidence in the Prime Minister and the Reform Government, and expressing the conviction that the country will endorse that confidence by returning the Reform Party to power at the next election, was also passed unauimouslv. Messrs Evans, Beanland and Flesher addressed the conference in that order, each spealcer being allowed ten minutes. - A 1 number of questions were asked of, each candidate, the matters raised including the licensing issue, Bible in schools, wheat pool, petrol tax, Main. Highways Board, and tariff questions affecting farming interests. In reply to a question on the licensing issue, Mr Flesher stated that he was definitely in favour of the bare majority and a two-issue ballot paper. He believed that the people should have the absolute right to decide the licensing question by means of a referendum. When the result of the ballot was announced, Mr Flesher was loudly cheered, and was specially congratulated by Mr Beanland. Mr Flesher has not previously been a candidate for Parliamentary honours, but he has taken a prominent part in local body affairs over a large number of years. He is a barrister and solicitor, and resides on the boundary of the Kaiapoi and Avon electorates, part of his property being in the Kaiapoi . district. - He was a member of the Christchurch City Council from 1901 to 1903, and from 1917 to 1925, when he was elected Mayor. He was also a member of the Tramway Board from 1906 to 1918, and again from 1921, holding the position of chairman from 1913 to 1916. From 1911 to 1913 and from 1915 to 1917 he was a member of the New Brighton Borough Council, and he also was Mayor of the borough for two terms. lie now is solicitor to the Borough Council. Mr Flesher is also a member of the Waimakariri River Trust, the Christchurch Domains Board and the Avon Licensing Committee. He is a prominent member of the Methodist Church, and was vice-president of the Metho-: dist Conference last year. Among his other public, activities are the Red Cross organisation and the St John Ambulance Association, of which he is the Canterbury" chairmari. lie also served for a number of j T ears on the Richmond School Committee, having held the position of chairman for ten years, and for twelve years he wag secretary of /the . Canterbury District Law Society. Mr Flesher was bom in Christchurch on. August 13, 1865, and’ was educated at Christ’s College. MR W. P. SPENCER LIKELY TO BE A CANDIDATE. Mr W. P. Spencer, of Spenceryille, stated yesterday afternoon that in all probability he would be an indepen-

dent candidate for this Kaiapoi . seat. He would reserve the right to support any party which he considered would best serve the interests of the people. He was opposed to the bare majority for. the licensing referendum, , and wag also opposed to th.c Bible .in schools

proposals, being in favour of, the present. free, - secular and compulsory sj-e----tem of education. Mr Spencer is a member of ; the Waimairi County Coun cil, the North Canterbury Hospital Board, and the Canterbury Education Board.