THE SELF-REVELATION OF JOHN PAYNE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1409, 9 April 1912, Page 6

THE SELF-REVELATION OF JOHN PAYNE.

Sir,—Whilst the speeches of the much-talked-of member for Grey Lynn may not hereafter rank with the confessions of J. J. Eousseau or of Marcus Aurelius, as a self-rovelation thoy furnish grounds for astonishment. , In his latest advertisement he terms himself "steel-backed." Ho has even enlivened the usually dull pages of Hansard, for in the no-confi-ilenco debate it is recorded at Pago 163 of tho present volume that ho said: "I have a fairly thick epidermis." So far are most people from contradicting him 011 this statement of tho thickness of his skin that they would not even deny that 110 lias tho hide of a rhinoceros. In the same entertaining debate, at. l'ago 157, he says: "If I deem it expedient to break a pledge for the benefit of the people I represent, then I shall break that pledgo without compunction." Now that the peoplo who elected him to represent them call upon him to resign for breaking tho pledge given by him to vote against tho Wflird Administration on a no-confidence motion, ho is reported to have said: "Ho was going to stay in the Hoiisojust as kmg' as Parliament enabled him in order to prove what 110 was." Having_ proved to his own satisfaction that he is steelbackud, thick-skinned, will break pledges without compunction, if ho deems it expedient, one is quite at a loss to . realise thou fcility of his self-sacrifice in further remaining in Parliament for of pro\ring to us what ho is. His electors ai;e quite satisfied with tho sufficiency of the above-quoted self-revelations to relieve him from the trouble of remaining longor in Parliament on their account. All that tliev require is that ho will accept their resolution and resign.— I am, etc., A GREY LYNNITB. Auckland, March 23.