REGARDING ELECTION PLEDGES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 78, 4 May 1929, Page 6

REGARDING ELECTION PLEDGES.

"INTERESTED."

To the Editor. Sir, — Apropos of my letter which appeared in your column last evening, in relation to 31r Jull's election. pledges which lie failed to carry out, may I beg further space in your columns to express a certain disappointment. It will he remembered that in my previous letter I stressed tlie faet very strongly that prior to the last election in 1927, Mr Jull promised from every platform that if the people returned his candidates and again gave him a majority on the board, which he had lost for tlie time being, lie would give them, before the Breakwater legislation was proceeded with further, tlia opportunity of taking a referendum on the question, Breakwater or inner harhour. In conseqiience of this promise tlie people returned 3Ir Jull's candidates. This meant that lie again he# came cliairman of the board, which he had relinqiiislied for about a year. But what did Mr Jull and his supporters do Dicl they give the people a referendum ? No. They simply witli drew; the Breakwater lcgislation from Parliament, and that was tlie end ,o£ ths promised referendum so far as 31r Jull and his supporters were concemed. Almost immediately after Mr Jull's return motions were carried in _ the lioard rescinding the previous decision to carry on with the Breakwater Harhour construction, and deciding instead to proceed with the construction af the inner harhour. Tliis was a distinct breach of faith with the people of tlie Hawke's Bav County, Havelock North, Otane and Taradale. I was one of the 36 person s who at tended 31r Jull's meeting at Taradale last night, and I went there solelv i'or ihe pm'posc of hearing his explanation, or attemptcd explanation, of his action in regard to this referendum. To my surprise, however, he did not attempt to provide an answer. During tlie course of his address lie dealt with every phase I*! the harhour question from tlie inner Iiarbour point of view ; he / rose 10 Tieiglit's of superb eloquenco in his crushing denunciation of the X'apier press for its alleged gross misrepresentation, but — and here comcs tlie pomt — 110 studiously avoided any referencs to his last election pledges. To my mimi, and I tliink it must be clear to all, the reason for liis silence is not- hard to find, 3Ir Jull did not provide an answer to oue of tlie most pertinent questions wliicli has been asked liiin during tlie whole of his election canipaign because be could not provide an answer tliat would prove in anv way satisfactory to any thinking elector. He tlierefore sought safetv in silence. Mr Jull

sbould remember tbat election pledges are made to be kept. not broken, and tbe county eleetors should remember tbe manner in whieh they have been misled in tliis respect aiul record their votes against tliose wlio* apjiarently bold tbe view tliat proniises are lika pieerusts — made to bo broken. — 1 ai%

etc..

X'ajiiei1, 31ay 4, 1929. (Inserted by Arrangement.)