POLITICAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1077, 2 December 1911, Page 2

POLITICAL

Mr C. A. W. Mouckton, Reform candidate, addressed about 250 electors in the Otaki Town Hall, on Wednesday evening. Mr J. ]). Howell was in the chair. The speaker kept his audience interested throughout a long address, and received considerable applause. A vote of thanks and confidence in the speaker was proposed aud carried unanimously. A motion of no-confidence in the present Government was also pul and carried.

Mr Martin, the Reform Party’s organiser, will deliver an address in the Coronation Hall on Monday night at 5.30 o’clock, wheu he will fully explain his party’s policy.

Mr Robertson will address the electors in the Coronation Hall on Monday evening at 7 o’clock. Mr Robertson has altered the time of his meeting so as not to clash with the meeting to be addressed by Mr Martin, and to avoid the meetings being held in different halls.

All the candidates for the Otaki seat are busy addressing meetings in different parts of the electorate.

THE MASSEY-TAYEOR EPISODE.

Pai.merston, Nov. 30

Mr Leonard M. Isitt, who succeeded to the late Mr T. lv Taylor’s seat, writes to the Manawalu Daily Times in reference to Mi Ma.-^nunuciation at Palmerston as a "contemptible cur and coward ’’ the questioner who asked why he did not clear Mr Taylor in his lifetime or unreservedly withdraw the statement he had made in reference to him.

In the course of the letter, Mr Isitt first refers to the statement that “ Massey drove Taylor to his grave.” He says: It is a pity that the question was re-opened, but Mr Massey’s bluster about ” a cur and a coward and a traitor” is thoroughly characteristic of the man. Mr Massey’s uu worthy silence did not even embitter Mr Taylor’s dying hours. The man was great enough to forgive, but I personally knew that that unworthy silence did embitter the grief of his widow and daughters, and wheu at the last retraction was made by Mr Massey it was such a partial and ungenerous retraction that to-day Mr Taylor’s relatives are troubled by the lact that his enemies are still saying 11 Mr Massey could have proved his charges, but the man’s dead.” I now learn that Mr Massey had said that when he last visited Christchurch he shook hands with Mr Taylor, and it only needed five minutes to come to an understanding. Mr Taylor may have shaken hands with Mr Massey, but no understanding was arrived at, and both Mr Cole (Mr Taylor’s partner) and myself can witness that Mr Taylor was as resolved as ever that Mr Massey must withdraw his charges and admit that he had been misled. If Mr Massey's statement is true and the two men were close to an understanding, it means that Mr Massey was prepared to make such withdrawal and admission. I ask why then does not Mr Massey make the withdrawal and admission now the man is dead, and end the unhappy episode ? He will not possess the respect of those who love and honour Mr Taylor’s memory until he does.