THE WAIKATO SEAT

Waikato Times, Volume 91, Issue 14241, 16 December 1919, Page 2

THE WAIKATO SEAT

WHO IS THE LIBERAL? MR LAFFERTY'S EXPLANATION. The large audience at the Hamilton Theatre Royal last night to hear the address by Mr C. Lafferty, LioeralLaliour candidate for Waikato. was in a somewhat jocubr mood. and t!i" candidate was subj.r'ed to some goodnatured banter. The chair was occupied by Mr J. McKinnon. Defining his pol-it'cal position. M" Lflferty p-»id tl" 1 -s far back as Angus: last he had received correspondence from the Liberal Party in Wellington asking him to organise the district on behalf of Liberalism, which went to show that he was regarded in Wellington as a trustworthy Liberal. In addition he had received letters from Wellington asking for certain information in the interests of Ihe cause. He re.nlied that as hn was already a candidate in the field he could not in justice to himself and the party organise as requested, fearing that it. might be 'interpreter! as a selfish act. On November 13th he received the following letter: — "Dear Mr Lafferty.—Just a few lines to inform you that I am sending herewith under separate cover a complete set of propaganda which may be of use to you in your campaign. This ■will be augmented from time to time during the next few weeks. I have had private information that Luxford does not intend to run for the seat a»d it certainly seems you will have a clear run against Young. Ido not think there is any cause for you to be apprehensive of any other man coming into the fight. I consider this is not likely in the least, and we will be pleased to do anything we can from headquarters to assist you in the way of sending propaganda, etc. —Yours, etc., H. Oakley Browne, General Secretary Liberal Party of New Zealand." "fche Mysterious Mr Byrne.

After receiving this a young man named Byrne, representing himself as a Liberal organiser, came on the scene. He was introduced to the speaker by Mr Fraaer Smith. Mr Byrne said the speaker was not a suitable candidate in his opinion, and that he was going to select another man—Mr Watts. . He (Mr Lafferty) asked him for his credentials and where he. had been hiding hintself for so long, as Waikato was a diffi> cult seat to win and that he should have been here long ago. Mr Byrne produced nothing official, but he (Mr Lafferty) accompanied MiByrne and Mr Fraser Smith to a private sitting-room, where the matter of candidature was discussed. Mr Byrne promised that if he (Mr Lafferty) could produce satisfactory correspondence from headquarters supporting his candidature he would "fre quile willing to "back" him. He (the speaker) 'then read the above letter to Byrne, who replied". "That is satisfactory—l must 'back' you." He then promised to wire to headquarters at Auckland. The speaker queried his proposed action, owing to the fact that headquarters were in Wellington. The Liberal Llout&nant.

Byrne then asked him if he had seen Mr Myers. He replied. "No, what has Mr Myers to do with it?" Byrne replied that Mr Myers was the lieutenant of the Liberal Party in the North. The speaker pointed out that as all 'his correspondence was from Wellington, he looked to Wellington for instructions. Byrne promised to ~>Bt him know the

position definitely in time for his Cambridge meeting theft, "night. He failed to do so, but next, morning again ap•proached him with a view to withdrawal, remarking that he could not carry out his promise to "back"'him, as those behind him (whom he was not at liberty to name) did not approve of him (Mr Lafferty). The speaker insisted on knowing who the people '•'behind" were, but Byrne said he-could not disclose names. He (the speaker) then replied, "That

being so, you and I must part." Byrne ' then asked "Will you not help me out of a difficult positron?'* He (Mr LaffeTty") replied that if Mr Byrne would convene a meetinpr of Waikato Liber-ils tie would place himself in their hands and accept their ruling, and if defeated would give the selected candidate his full support. This Mr Byrne -declined to do, as he considered it would be lowering Liberalism to act in-such a way. He (Mr Lafferty) answered that he (Mr Byrne) was no Liberal, and that that must end the matter. Following this ""Mr Watts declared himself.

Note a Vote-splitter. The speaker therefore claimed that he was not the vote-splitter and that he would like the people to remember this & fact on the 17th. It was too late at'this, the 11th hour, to ask him to stand down for their selected, as he considered he had done all the work of advancing the Liberal cause from his ■platform: On the other hand, whilst his opponent had said -nothing in criticism of Liberalism, he had yet said nothing in , favour of it. He (the spcalrer) "had declared definitely in favour .of tiie Liberal Party, whilst his opponent had announced himself as an Independent, who said he would vote out Massey, but would not pledge himself to the Liberals, for whom he held no Wren". Sir Jos. Ward, at the 1911 election, stated that Independents-were of no use to the 'Liberal Party, as ;they were unreliable, and he wo-ald almost prefer them to bo on the «ther side and he would then know where 'he -stood. He (Mr Lafferty) 'claimed a similar position existed to-itey. Sir J. G. Ward Intervenes. It was perfectly true that a wire had been received by a genKemanSn Hamilton from Sir J. Ward, asking Jiim (Mr Lafferty) to stand dowa in favour of the other 'Literal. He replied that the ©lfaer candidate referred to had not declared himself Liberal, but Independent, and fciat Sir J. Ward coiild nbt have knewn the true position when lie sent the wire. The speaker then wired .Sir .Joseph that he (Mr Lafferty) had already been nominated, and that he (Sir 'Joseph) as Liberal leader could not *v.pport Mr Watts' candidature, as his plaifora as published was no mor« Liberal ithßß Mr Young's.

Sir Joseph replied as follows: — "Many thanks for your wire. I rote your decision, hct the po-*i'ti(pt is very complicated." When Sir Joseph Ward wn'S heEB on Saturday last,' added the speaker, "h s did not ask Lafferty to stand diwn," r.s asserted by Mr MeKinnon aft lhe rrreting in the Oddfellows' Hall i'vu mg'il. Mr MeKinnon must either nave rn'oo n mistake or been \v:3ng'y 'a-

:''or:ned. Sir Joseph Ward had stated, in facl.i •thn". Byrne had no authority lo select .a candidate without first, submitting lhe name tc headquarters. This 01 ought ;i reply from .Mr W.iM'.' -that he was in no way bound lo Sir ,-J. Ward, as he was an Independent. •No Party Selection Made. • Sir .Joseph replied that unless the 4a.vo candidates could come to an under'^.mdiuf;;i(C would not interfere, and he Igir. My iiifl -"-'-' wfl/oat making agy

Therefore the speaker claimed that he had a just right to go to the ballot as a Liberal. (Applause.) Mr Lafferty went on to say that he visited Te Ayvamutu and there, met Mr Teasdale, who declared himself as a Liberal of the R. .1. Seddon type. Yet Mr Teasdale neither presided at or attended the speaker's meeting, or any other meeting since, to Ihe speaker's knowledge. Mr Teasdale: I attended.

Mr Lafferty said he twice saw Sir .1. Ward, and was not asked on either occasion to stand down.

He added (ha! the four gentlemen who convened Hie meeting of the Liberals that nighl were members of Mr Watts' committee, and that lie (Mr Lafferty) had one of the finest chances in Waikato if th. supporters of Mr Watts had only backed him up. (Laughter and applause.) He maintained that half-a-dozen men in the town had no right to say who was to he the candidate and who was not. The country was free, and the public as a whole had the decision in their hands. No candidate, could claim a Government brand who had not the courage to back his cause. Not Playing the Game. The speaker declared that he made no miserpresentations, anil had fought a fair fight, but if'a commttee of men took it into their hands to send wires and letters to Wellington against his candidature, it was not playing the game. MY Lafferty declared with emphasis that after having fought the seat so long it would be selling his supporters to back down at the last moment. Mr Watts had been fair. He had told the speaker, that he was in a rotten positbn, adding, "and so am I." Mr Watts' committee, added the speaker, would not allow him to stand down.

"It is just possible," declared Mr Lafferty amid loud applause and laughter, "that I may beat the both of them yet."

A voice: Good old Lafferty. (Loud laughter.)

Later, in again referring to himself, Mr Lafferty said that he, also, had done his duty to his country for he had reared a family of eleven—(laughter and applause)—and he did not think it fair for a few men to attach their signatures to a circular soliciting the votes of the people for a man simply because he was a returned soldier. The candidate then went on to deal with politics proper, outlining his platform and attacking the Massey Administration. Representation for Soldiers.

At the conclusion of his address Mr Andrews, one of the signatories to the returned soldiers' circular, asked permission to say a few words. Mr Lafferty said he was always ready and willing to do anything for a returnea soldier, and would grant the permission.

Mr Andrews then recounted a long list of soldiers' grievances, and declared that the reason the pamphlet was sent out was because it was considered necessary that the soldiers should have some one to represent them in Parliament.

Mr Lafferty: Then vote for me. I will represent you. (Laughter and applause.) Somebody asked the candidate if he would like to see a mandate cutting out land agency as a legitimate profession.

Mr Lafferty said he would not care to reflect on any legalised profession, but he thought some legislation was necessary in the direction of preventing the undue inflation of land values. Replying to a question as to whether it was not a fact that the regulations relating to premium bonds, which he (Mr Lafferty) had heen critcising, were framed by Sir Joseph Ward, the candidate 6aid this -was to a certain extent correct, but money had to be got somehow, and if people would not volunteer to lend of their wealth it had to be taken from them. Ho would, in fact, have liked to see the whole of the wealth conscripted as well as the life of the country. Mr Teasdale Speaks. Mr Brown asked that, as Mr Teasdale's name nad been mentioned, that gentleman should be given an opportunity of saying -something. Permission was granted. Mr Teasdale said he was present to try and induce Mr Lafferty to stand down. A voice: Why should be? Mr Teasdale: Because I believe he wflll not stand a chance. (Here a hubhub ensued.) Mr Teasdale said he had lived in the district for over 40 years, and no man had served Liberalism or done more for it than he had. He had also served the priblic for over 35 years on various public bodies, and nobody could say that be bad not done what lie could for humanity. The speaker repudiated the sta'tenrKirit 'that he had not assisted in the Liberal organisation, and declared that he had always done what he could for the cause. 'Vote of Thanks carried.

Mr Gatenby rose to speak, and had got sis far as to state that he had come from Te Awamutu to get Mr Lafferty to stick to l his guns, when there was general interruption intermingled with a good deal of applause, which drowned the -rest of the speaker's remarks, except that he moved a hearty vote of thanks to the candidate for his speech. Ths was seconded by someone who •was sitting in the front row and who had for some time sought in vain to address the meeting on some matters relating to a "Colonel Smith and Customs," but v\<ho had been repeatedly ruled out of order by the chairman.

The gentleman in question had previously endeavoured to reach the platform by the side stairs, but somehow became confused in the maze of dressing rooms, and to his own chagrin and the great amusement of those who witnessed the incident, he missed the stage altogether, and landed at the other-side.

He now seized the opportunity of seconding the motion in order to get in the "two minutes speech" he had so long been seeking to deliver, but he had no sooner commenced than his remarks were drowned in the genera] confusion whicti followed, and the chairman invoked the aid of a policeman to remove the cause of the uproar, who by this .time was purple faced from his demonstrative •effiart and wasted eloquence, and resinned his seat'with a bitter denunciation of the chair and an angry gleam in his eye.

On be'mg pat to the meeting, .the motion was curler] Willi very few fesentients.