Election Rumours

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 12622, 19 November 1908, Page 7

Election Rumours

TO THS XDITOB.

Sir, — So many rumours are circulated and statements made during an election contest that one could devote the whole of one's time to combatting them. Thiis is one of the features ot a campaign that I deplore, especially as I can -state emphatically that I have never yet been responsible for the circulation of rumours about other candidates or for continuing rumours already in circulation. My committees have also been requested by me time after time to conduct my campaigns in a straightforward and honourable manner, and I know my committees have done so, and if I have one thing more than another to be proud of it is tne conduct of my committees. This being so, I feel it my duty to refer to the letter which appeared in your issue of last evening signed "Fair Play." The writer of thid letter states that a re-]-ort was circulated that the hotelkeepers were supporting Mr Hutchison thereby causing Mr Hogan's supporteia to vote for No-license by way of letaliation." I wish to state very plainly that although I visited nearly all the booths on election day and went amongst hundreds of ray workers and supioiteis, I did not hear one word uttered against either the hotelkeepers or No-licence party. If i had I should have suppressed it at once, for I consider the local option poll should be conducted without reference to candidates. As for retaliation, I do not believe in it, and as an instance of this, I can assure you. sir, that if Mr Mackay had been placed above me at the nr«t ballot I would have been found supporting him and assisting him to my utmost ability at the second ballot. Regarding the attitude of Ihe hotclketpers, my opinion is the same :-d that cAirefcsed by "Fair Play" — that 1 hey "wer^ quite impartial in the election." I have to thank both the Licensed Victuallers' Association and the No-license party for much assistance on election day, and to expr°Fß the opinion publicly that the members of both worked in the interests :>f hc'"r respective parties in connection with the local option poll, but voted according to their individual opinions for the <andidate preferred and without reference to continuance or No-license. Thanking you, eir, for allowing me space in your* valuable paper, and offering as an apology for troubling you the necessity for defending my supporters and committees from an iinfa'ir assertion. — I am, etc., JAS. T. HOGAN.