The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, NOV. 9th, 1922. REFORM TACTICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, NOV. 9th, 1922. REFORM TACTICS.

Tiif. “Christchurch Press” one of Mr Massey’s chief newspaper allies, in attempting to persuade the public that an unholy alliance exists 'between the Liberal Party and the extreme Labour Party, by which the former will make concessions to the “Reds” in return for their assistance in turning the Reform Government out of office, refuses to accept the pssuraneo pf the “Welfare Tongue thsf po such alliance exists, The League is quite explicit >tl

its contradiction of the malicious stories that have been spread abroad by the Reform touts, presumably with the approval of the leaders of the party. “The AA r elfare League as a result of its investigations and from knowledge acquired in tlvc course of its activities to prevent triangular contests, it says, is aware that the.se statements are without foundation of fact and thinks it only right to give ail authoritative assurance that no such understanding, as alleged, exists." The League, it may be well to explain, consists of a number of gentlemen chiefly supporters of the Reform Government, who have banded themselves together for the purpose of promoting the interests of the ccmmiinit.v at large by creating a sounder conception of civic and national responsibilities. That they would not be likely to make a statement on a question of this kind without the very fullest investigation, may lie judged from the fact that Air C. P. Skcrrett K.C.. is their Chairman, and signs the statement from which we have just quoted. The “Press” Irivever after parading a lot of totally irrelevant nonsense about wli.at happened at the General Election of 1914. concludes with an equally irrelevant statement in regard to what is happening now—“ln any case, it says, the non-existence of any plan of mutual accommodation between the Liberals and the Reds does not in the least affect the fact that the Liberals and Reds are acting jointly against Reform. The Liberals expect to win only a minority of seats, that they hope that with the aid of the Reds they may be able to defeat the Government.”

Tlie gravity of the charge, the Christchurch Rcferm organ Mould make against the Liberals depends upon the meaning it would attach to the word “jointly.” If it is seeking to convey to the public the idea that the Liberals are co-operating with the Extreme Labour Party for the purpose of overthrowing the Government then its tactics are as clumsy as they are dishonest. The humour of thp situation comes in when it is remembered that during the election campaign of three years ago, the “Press” lioseeched the Reform electors to throw in their lot with the people it is now calling “Rod Feds” in order to defeat the-Liberals. The plain truth of the matter is that Afi' Massey and liis friends are counting upon iterated and reiterated misrepresentation again giving them the victory at the polls. The effronteiy of their methods is emphasised by the bargain they recently imposed open Afr Leonard Isitt and the renunciation of party faith they extracted from Air A'igor Brown. Happily these capitulations are isolated eases of timidity. All over the country there are Reform candidates in the field with no ether purpose than to divert votes from the Liberal candidates and so make the way easy for the “Reds”. Air Massey and his allies arc never weary of denouncing with their tongues in their cheeks. AA’e cannot believe that any great body of electors is going to be mislead by such flagrant trickery. In Westland, we believe, the electors aio beginning to realise the situation and the vote-splitting scheme designed is not likely to come to pass at all effectively. In point of fact the designers are going to be confounded.