THE OTAKI SEAT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1556, 27 September 1912, Page 4

THE OTAKI SEAT.

Sir,—ln vonr issue nf September II appears a letter nudf"* the above headim siencd .T. T. Kent. Xow. it seems to iih (hat nftor n considerable lapse of tinu the writer of that letter has siitWenly •Mvokn tn find Out th« "Reformers" in the Otnki electoral had vojNl for a Socialist in preference to a Freeholder, •Now, nonti so Hlirul as those tthn tiwi't Aee. I thit'.lc Mr. Kent comes "nd"r this category. It. is well known that J[r, Robertson received the "Reform vote" on-, ins to the in>(ler«tniuliti!.' th.il: he w-miM vote against the Ward Administration mi a vote of 110 confidence; how that pledw .■■•as kept is now a matter of historv, Tin Reformers like <i snnare dml, which tliej have never had during tho enntinnon< and wasteful regime, consequently Hierr "•is 'lothioc "notorious"—a hiij word! Mr. ICenMn the great leader nf a crreal party advi-inR his followers in n critical moment, the proper cour-e tn take. Jtr, Kent, conies, out very plihlv tlu »q«»(wr»—"•oulii-He PiusttiT"-. ' lV)iv, (V •monied-'men "and' motor-cara ara 'to ]x

found, and oro still in, (ho ranks of the despouers. The less Mr. Kent has to jay about tho freehold supporter tho better, but I will say that as a member, leaving politics on 0110 side, Mr. Field worked ™ .for his constituency. .Mr. Kent make: 11 slight error when ho i-peaks of twe Itaform candidates. Mr. Afonckton was tho ofHciinlly accredited choice of thai party, while Mr. brown stood as an Independent. I do not know whether Mr, Kent is a supporter of the (axing of th( unearned increment value of the land, bill should adviso him to red da loiter ovei the signature of I'. J. Kyder, which ap peared in The Dominion, of .September \ —a paper which I am pleased to s« Mr. Kent studies. Against' the leasehold 1 should advise Mr. Kent to communic&tc w-ith Mr. Laurenson, M.P., on.the subject; he will hear some harrowing (ales about landlordism and poor widows, and tin evils of the system from that gentleman In conclusion; I fear Mr. Kent has nol quite recovered from tho answer given by Mr. Ell, late. Postmaster-Gvnenu, tc a deputation which waited on liinv from ■Roikorangi asking for a now post oflicc. They—tho deputation—would have fared as well had the.v asked for tho "new museum" to bo built there. But now, after the brick-blocks have had a "srjunrt deal" and the condition of the settlor; in those hitherto neglected out-of-the-way places improved, doubtless Mr. Kent will find an honest Reform Government more amenablo than tho "continuous spoils to the victors," and also that then is no plaeo like "home."—l am, etc., W. OLPHEHT. September 17, 1912.