THE WESTLAND SEAT.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1922, Page 1

THE WESTLAND SEAT.

„ (Lyttelton Times.) Across the ranges the good—tho so very good—Reformers are doing what they can to shift the Liberal member for Westland and put an extreme Labourite in his place. Nobody thinks that Mr Steer, the Massey candidate, has a chance of election, hut the possibility does exist of the votes being so split and divided that the seat may go to Labour. Mr Seddon, the Liberal member,, however, should not liaic cause for much uneasiness. Ever since the death of bis illustrious father bo has represented Westland in Parliament, and lie has done this faithfully and well. We are not going to put forward as a ground for his re-election that Mr Seddon fought in the Great War, because we realise that if this reason were valid scores of thousands of men would be entitled to seats in the House. But we do say, seriously that Mr Seddon’s service to bis country is ill-repaid by the Massey Party, which boasts so loudly of its loyalty, in working for his defent by a follower ofMr Holland. Mr Seddon is a memlier of the party which has made New Zealand what it is. Of this there can be no doubt. It was the magnificent series of courageous and democratic Acts placed upon the Statute Book by the Governments presided over by Seddon. Bnllanee and Ward that brought New Zealand to a condition of remarkable prosperity, which not even ton years of Massey ism has been able to destroy. Mr Seddon stands against extremists on either side. He opposes Reaction and he opposes Revolution. That, of course, is why those forces are in combination against him; hut we hope and believe that, Westland will remain true to the cause of Liberalism with which it has been so specially identified in the history of New Zealand.