The Dominion. TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1916. A REBUKE FROM AN UNEXPECTED QUARTER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2719, 14 March 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1916. A REBUKE FROM AN UNEXPECTED QUARTER

The attempt which has been made by fcho member for Grey Lynn to start a political campaign against the Defence Minister is in itself nilworthy of serious attention. Parliament and the country both know Mr. Payne, and his periodical outbursts on public questions and on the shortcomings of his political opponents arc not taken with any great seriousness. So 'it is that when he objects to Me. Allen holding the portfolio of Minister of Defence and circularises members of Parliament, calling on them, as a matter of urgency, to meet and pass a resolution demanding the Minister's resignation, no one, or at' least very few people, will regard the matter as anything more than a quite characteristic extravagance on the part of the member for Grey Lynn. There is, however, one member of Parliament who has taken Me. Payne seriously enough, and it is perhaps not surprising that it should be one of tte> Labour-Socialist group who more often than anyone else find themselves in harmonious accord with the Auckland member, Mr. M'Cojibs, the member in question, not only treats his colleague's action as one calling for a serious reply, but he adopts an attitude towards it which we suspect will be as surprising -to Mr. Payot as it will be gratifying to the public generally. We say gratifying to tliir public because the public, we believe, is in the mood to appreciate candour and blunt speech, and has no inclination at a time like the present to tolerate political trickery oi scheming to serve party interests now or in the future. _ Mr. M'Cojibs, after repeating in his answering letter the main features of Mr. Payne's circular, proceeds as' follows : —

A* you are aware, I never undertook to support llie National Government, lliougu 1. saw no reason why the Liberal* and Reformers should not come tiigethei to form one party. But this 1 do remember, that part uf tn« compact between the two parties was that tho Hon. Mr. Allen should be retained as Minister of Defence. I am therefore surprised to learn that any honourable member who promised his support to the National Uomnment, -anu was a party to that compact, should now wisu to break a f-iuite in the agreement. 1 am free to vote Mr. Alien or Mr. Massey out to-mor-row, ami would do so with pleasure, but when I am asked to support a resolution calling tor the reaignauon of Mr. Aileu, in order that another member of the Reform Party may be appoiuted iu his stead, I feel bound to decline, and say that I do not know ol' any other member of the Reform Party who would make a more capable Ministei- of Defence. lam no apologist for Mr. Allen. I think Mr. Allen has made mistakes in administration, and 1 do not think thai' the pay and pensions for soldiers are iV3 liberal as they ought to be, but every unprejudiced man must admit that Mr. Allen's adminisUation will comparomoro than favourably with what is taking place in connection with Defence matters olsewhere. Mr. Allen has also honourably

kept the spirit of the compact, and neither by word nor deed tried io disparage the work of other Ministers. Ho has been entirely loyal to the rest of the members of the National Cabinet. X have 110 doubt that in asking members to pass the resolution you propose you arc animated only by u desire_ to serve the best interests of the Empire, but I have seen evidence in certain quarters of a decided party move to write down everything Mr. Allen does, and to magnify tho importance of the services rendered by another member of the Cabinet. This may be legitimate party warfare, but it is not consistent as between supporters of tho Government. We have quoted Mr. M'Combs's letter at some length partly because it contains some wholesome truths which are timely, and partly because of the quarter from which the views expressed emanate. Me. M'Gombs s rebuke to those who, even with a National Government in office and the country fighting for its futuro as an independent nation, still seek to play the old shoddy gamo of the party politicians, is one which hilly deserves the publicity given to it. It is a rebuke from £tn uncxpectct quarter, and in consequence innj prove doubly effective.