DOUGLAS CREDIT DEBATE.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18808, 2 December 1932, Page 9

DOUGLAS CREDIT DEBATE.

(To the Editor.)

gj ri in connection with the debate on Saturday night, in which the affliinative is being taken by Mr tairburn, of Auckland, it seems appropriate to explain to your readers the substitution of Mr Fairburn for the original champion of Douglasisrn Mr Woodruffe, and also the delay which has taken place in organising the debate. It will be remembered that on the last occasion when the debate wan mentioned by Mr Woodruffe, about a month ago, he protested his great anxiety to come- forward in Hamilton, and promised to let your readers know very shortly about the arrangements. This has apparently completely escaped his memory, as his subsequent letters, voluminous in other respects, are strangely silent on the subject of the debate. Since, however, Mr Woodruffe seemed lo take pride in the boast of “silence is golden” when in difficulties, and also declined to be bound in advance by any formula which would enable us to understand what he was talking about, it was obvious that his promised championing of Douglasisrn was purely hufloonery. I therefore offered to meet any other champion whom the local Douglasitss were prepared to puf forward. I was then introduced to Mr A, who, I understood, was prepared to take up the cudgels on behalf of the Social Credit theory, hut on closer inquiry from Mr A I found he is by no means prepared to support Douglas Credit on the public platform. I then understood that efforts were being made lo induce Mr B to come forward, but these were also unsuccessful. Mr Fairburn is the third nominee, and will doubtless appear in due course. I wish to make clear that the delay which lias taken place is in no wise attributable to me, and I may also say that although 1 wrote twice to Mr Woodruffe personally in furtherance of the debate arrangement I was not J honoured by an acknowledgment of j either letter. It remains to be added that the debate lias been arranged finally very largely as a result of your own good services in facilitating Hie arrangements.—l am, etc., DOUGLAS SEYMOUR. Hamilton, December i, 1932.