THE BEG PARDON PARTY

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 February 1912, Page 2

THE BEG PARDON PARTY

It lias occurred to us that the Opposition Party requires re-naming: it should be known as The Beg Pardon j Party. Mr Massey'e action in making charges of bribery against a follow member, and afterwards admitting that in doing so lie made an error and one that ho should apologise for, is referred to by nis apologists as "a manly action." Certainly he ie entitled to a small degree of credit for having retreated from a politically falseposition, but no journalist should neglect to stress the important lesjKon conveyed through Mr Maesey's false step. It is this: that the member for Franklyn' is temperamentally unfitted to lead & party. He is impulsive in action and unguarded in language; and, further, ' his tendency to rush unthinkingly isto unteiiriMe josinont causes >"t----tfation/s to- erh>e 'wifch eredeti&ppAu' i

_ __ . tal to the true interests of country and personally embarrassing and irritating to Ills fellow members as \ well as to those on the Government ; side of the House. His latest apo- ; logy recalls liis tardy withdrawal | of the charges ho made gainst J the late T. E. Taylor; and thoso who can cast their memories back i along Mr Massey's Parliamentary career can recall other instances wherein he should have proved apologetic. His position and continuance as Leader of the Opposition is not in the best interests of New Zealand's political life, and regretfully wo feel constrained to say unreservedly that the unnecessary bitterness that characterises public life to-day, and the tendency to impute unworthy motives to opponents, is traceable to the want of that resraining influence which true leaders of parties always exercise. At storming a breach or leading a forlorn hope Mr Massey might prove an admirable man, but ho is frankly impossible as a man to direct a campaign or to control the various forces of a composite column. Two years from to-day, tho present Opposition Party in Now Zealand will be still the party in opposition. To that prophecy wo commit ourselves. And in doing so wo nnHcipatorily give answer to the question that that party will then propound ,of "How shall wo sot our honw) in order?" To set its houpo in order the Opposition needs, primarily, a leader possessing jsonii'l iirlement and clue reserve. Wh'.'i) it hap secured one such, it will have other needs; but regarding these, w< 1 have no present advice to nffor.