NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 64, 9 December 1919, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

It is quite like old times to have Sir Joseph Ward back in his role of the much maligned party leader goaded by an unsympathetic Press. In Christchurch at the end of last week-he was in one of h'is most reckless moods, railing at the .Christchurch Press, and offering to "put up" £500 to test the rights and wrongs of assertions relating to his attitude towards Labour. Slit Joseph Ward is fortunate in being able to back his opinion in such substantial sums, but it is after all a somewhat unsatisfactory method of controversy. The real trouble lies at the Leader of the Opposition's own door, and if people misunderstand his attitude and read into his words and actions something which is not really thcro ho has only himself to blame. Why does he not clearly and definitely disown any intention of holding office by means of the votes of any of the "official" Labour candidates? It is a simple enough tiring for him to do, assuming that that is his real 'attitude. When he disclaims any intention of holding office by the votes of Messrs. Holland, Skmple, and Fkasei:, he knows, or he should know, that there arc between 30 and 40 other "official" Labour ' candidates seeking olection on exactly the same platform and policy, as the gentlemen named. Moreover, he kiiows, or should know, that some of these candidates have a much better chance of being elected than have Messrs. Holland and Semplb. Such being tho ease, why does he not take the country fully into his confidence and declare openly and frankly that if he is dependent on the votes of any of these "oflicial" candidates of the Holland Party he will not take office at all 1 Can he blame the Christchurch Press or anyone else if his evasive references to the matter provoke suspicion and distrust?

Probably no higher compliment coufU be paid a Parliamentary candidate conducting his first campaign against a veteran opponent .than is being extended to Mr. A. D. M'Leod, the Reform candidate for the Wairarapa sent. In spite of the fact that his opponent, the sitting member,, has the experience of many election struggles to draw on, Ml). M'Leod lias niacin the pace so hot for him that the assistance of the Leader of the Opposition has had to be sought in an endeavour to keep his iollower in the running. Mr. M'Leod's electioneering success, however, is not ufr all surprising. He is known throughout the Wairarapa as a practical man of considerable capacity, who htis made a habit of pushing through energetically with anything he takes in hand, and he has a long record of successful service in various public and semi-public capacities. He is, indeed, an ideal representative for a country constituency and the class of man that is badly needed in Parliament at the present time when reconstruction problems which hinge so largely on public works development and land settlement figure so prominently in nublic .policy. The electors of the Wairarapa no doubt arc fully alive to the fact that a member gifted \ with • Mb. M'Leod's energy, force of character, and .tenacity of purpose, and familiar as he is with all the very pressing needs of the district, would ue a viihiable asset. _to the electorate when such questions as -the Rimutaka railway deviation and better road access to and from the AVairarapa are under consideration, as they must be in the next Parliament. Sir Joseph! Ward's attemnt to interfere in the election on behalf of Mr. Hobnsby is not likely to find favour with a sporting community such as the Wairarapa has always proved itself to be.