AN INTERESTING DISCLOSURE.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1919, Page 1

AN INTERESTING DISCLOSURE.

HOW CONSERVATISM RUNS “ REFORM.” SIR WALTER. BUCHANAN EMERGES The following interesting article appeared in a recent issue of the Auckland ‘‘ Star.” We hope that our readers will give it careful attention as it throws an instructive light upon the very intimate relations always suspected, but persistently repudiated or denied, that exists between the “ -Reform ” party and our conservative landed aristocracy of whom Sir Walter Buchanan is a leading member: —

THE POWER BEHIND THE THRONE.

It is to be hoped that the electors everywhere, not only in this constituency, but throughout tlio Dominion, will pay careful attention to the facts which Mr Matheson (Independent Reform Candidate for the Mastcrton seat) made public last Friday night. Addressing a political meeting at Alasterton, -Mr Matheson explained at length how his attempt to stand for Parliament there had brought him into conflict with the Masseyitc “Power behind the Throne,” and he proceeded to disclose the precise position in which the.“ Reform ” party stands in regard to Sir Walter Buchanan. This gentleman evidently exercises practically sovereign authority over the party, so far as the selection of its candidates is concerned, and when for any given reason a politician wishing to stand for Parliament in the “Reform” interest fails to come up to Sir Walter Buchanan’s test of fitness or cannot “pass muster” under his eagle eye, that candidate must either withdraw or go to the poll with the full knowledge C at.the

party vote and the party organisation

will be used to support some more <acpeptablo mouthpiece of Conservatism. In this case, Mr Matheson had announc-

ed his candidature some considerable time before the sitting member, Mr Sykes, came into the field; and lie refused to accept Sir Walter Buchanan’s request—perhaps we should say “ command ”—to stand aside because, as lie told his audience, he ohjects to dictation of that sort and also because he considers that there is far too much of the caucus and the “machine” about “Reform” politics, and on his own con-

fession he wants something “cleaner and more democratic.” If All' Alatbeson is out for clean and democratic methods of government, we fail to s-ec why lie does not support Liberalism which can supply him with both these requisites. . But that, after all, is between Air Matheson and bis own conscience, and what we are chiefly interested in just now is the part that Sir

Walter Buchanan is evidently filling, not on the political stage, hut behind the scenes for the benefit of the Massayites.

Perhaps we had better remark here

and now, that nothing wo have to say is intended to reflect invidiously on the character or conduct of Sir Walter Buchanan. He is no doubt quite an estimable person, but bis public record hardly suggests that lie would be adopted by the people of Now Zealand, with their full knowledge and consent as the controller of their destinies. Sir W. Buchanan is known by repute to ,

most people of-this country, as a man Of wealth, a big land-holder, and one of the strongest financial supporters of that Wellington “ Reform ” organ which has rendered itself notorious lor years past by its frantic abuse of the Liberal Party and its leader, and to those who take any interest in our political history he is familiar as one of the most resolute and obstinate opponents of Liberalism anti all its works, one of the few survivors of that clique of bigoted and reactionary Conservatives who so strenuously resisted the democratic policy of Bal-

ance and Seddon and Ward a quarter of a century ago. To Sir Walter Buchanan and the men who shared his political creed in those days, Old Age Pensions, Band for Settlement, Democratic Administration, anything and everything that Liberalism imported into our national and political life were alike revolutionary, outrageous and detestable. What Sir Walter himself thought and said about these matters is recorded at length in “Hansard” ; and all that wo need say about this side of

the question now is tliat a man of Sir Walter’s age and temperament and political antecedents is tolerably certain to be not less but more Conservative and reactionary to-day than lie showed

himself to be a generation ago. Now, this man is the man to whom Mr Massey and bis friends have delegated the task of selecting their candidates; and what we wish particularly to stress for the benefit of our renders Is-this, that if Mr Massey and his party win the

victory in this present contest, it is to Sir Waiter Bnchan.Tn and the small but influential group of Conservative landowners 'who look up to him as theit guide and leader that the fate and future of New Zealand are to be entrusted. For it is manifest that if Sir Walter Buchanan is allowed to decide what candidate shall or shall not stand for “ Boform ” in a given constituency, lie is literally dictating and prescribing the policy which the Masseyites are prepared to support. For we should not imagine that Sir Walter would select a “ Reform ” candidate who did not profess the “ Reform ” creed, and wo w uld not accuse Mr Massey of keeping one type of “Reform” for the Wairarapa and another for the rest of the Dominion. Thus -the triumph of Masso.vism Will mean the subordination of all our political and economic and industrial and social and national requirements and aspirations to the prejudices of a highly Conservative old gentleman, \whom the electors have refused to send to Parliament, and whose only el im to be accepted as the supreme arbiter of our destinies is that ho is regarded by lus own friends as “ the political god- | father of Reform in the Wairarapa.” ,

! We do not think that those facts -require i much elaboration, in. fact they seem to Us almost to defy comment. . But we’ mast -draw one obvious moral, by* point-' ing to the marvellous discrepancy be- ] tween the picture of “ Reform ” policy I thus revealed to -our gaze and the claims and assertions of the “ Reformers.” ; Nothing seems to exasperate Mr Massey or the average Alasseyitc more effectually.than the suggestion that lie and his party are dominated and controlled by the “Sqnatocracy,” -the'great land-holding interests that Mr Massey has so long and loyally protected. Yet here is proof positive on "the authority ■of a well-known member of the ’“Reform ” party that “ Reform ” policy iSj as we have said, dictated by the “ Uncrowned King ” of our Conservative landed aristocracy. And this ijs the " democracy ” that “ Reform ” in a recent picturesque but pathetic afvertisement implores the electors to love and o’- rvV>,.! The people of New Eealapd | will give their answer at the polls