ON WHICH SIDE?

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 617, 21 September 1909, Page 6

ON WHICH SIDE?

;■' MR; 'SMITH'S' One 'of - the'' burning questions, in; connection :with the election relatesMo Mr." Smith's -views before and'since the general election. • -.Mr..Hocklv declared af Mangaweka on Friday evening: tliat before' the general election Mr. Smith made distinct declarations to prominent .members of "the. Opposition party m tho electorate that his 1 sympathies were with them, that :fle was'only-standing as an Independent, because in that guise he could catch the lojw Labour vote -Upithe'-i-lihej aniitliat once he;took .his seat-in Pa4iamoiit:his support-- would'be given .to -the. Opposition.".' Mr. 'Hockly said that, his reason for referring''. to the* matter ,was .that Mr' Smith had- claimed that the Opposition party were • misrepresenting him, that ho was obtaining a-good deal .of support jin consequence," andthatho had gone ;.sp, far .as .to. challenge him to'sustain the'charge. He asked the electors whether they could .believe that ho' would • have stood-,-down, in ;Mr. bm;th a favour. at';tho".general i 'clection, if there, had been anv reason'. to .think :that ;..Mr. Smith s leanings * (excepting in regard to • the .question of land-tenure) were altogether towards the Government.'.' -It was" true- &m}th had stated at Taihape in November that his? sympathies were with'the Government, but this-must'.have been invfurtherance - of -his effort to .secure the Labour vote.;, Dunng--the course' ;of /his -address....at' the. same, .town on Saturday evening Mr. Smith -declared - that Mr. -Hockly's attempt;'to /; discredit him would prove futile in the eyes .of the electors. Reports .of-his speeches prior.'to .-the,general election ' would show '.that .he declared himself a supporter' of the present Gbvern-ment,-excepting-with regard, to their -land policy. In the prosent election the Government" had accorded him their approbation aa a rpcognised' Government candidate, and .ho retained, with their consent, the right to support the freehold.under all circumstances. By taking up this position the Government had removed the barrier which prevented him from according thom/his support on the -last occasion.-' The i result of the' -first-ballot,; which gave him'premier position among the Government candidates, assured, him that; he had retained'the; confidence of. the... electors, and there-Was■ no occasion;to go' any■ further into a '.wearisome, controversy..' .When question, time came round, Dr. Turnbull asked Mr. Smith if he'had forgotten'that,bnsthe.eve; of the general election he had; obtained: support at Manga.wek'a and -elsewhere" in -the .'way that. Mr. -Hockly had ; stated.'/. Not.' satisfied with the answers he /received,,-' the, niicstioner put .his query three.times, and, in the ( end, Mr..Smith absolutely denied the charge of' inconsistency. Further developments;in this; regard .are- expetted.; ..- ■.'. •■■■ .' .;.'■-"" - |\- ' '-~■ '■' V.