POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1039, 4 May 1912, Page 2

POLITICAL.

MR ROBKRTSON. M.P., SPKAKS. There was an attendance of about 200 electors, including a number of ladies, at the Masonic Hall on Thursday evening when Mr John Robertson, member for this electorate, delivered an address explanatory of his vote on the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition during the late session ot Parliament. The chair was occupied by His Worship the Mayor, and the speaker throughout, excepting for a few interjections, received a very good hearing.

Mr Robertson said since being elected to represent the Otaki constituency in Parliament he had been subjected to a great deal of criticism and also to a large amount of misrepresentation, but he was satisfied that after the meeting had heard his explanation of his vote on the noconfidence motion brought forward by Mr Massey, no reasonable person would believe that under the circumstances he had done anything but the right thing. Once the circumstances were fully understood, all except the most embittered opponents would agree that he had interpreted his pledges iu the only proper way. It had been said that his only pre-election pledge was to turn out the Ward Government, This was not so. In the first place there was more than one pledge. He was pledged to vote against the Ward Administration, but he was also’ pledged to vote against Mr Masse.'. He had never allowed Mr Massey or anyone else to be in any doubt whatever as to his intention to oppose him whenever the opportunity arose. He said the position he adopted was the only attitude that could be adopted by a Labour candidate at that time, namely, hostility to both parties, and the only way that hostility could be expressed was by saying that in the event of a no-confidence motion being moved in the Ward Government he would support it, and iu the event of a no-confidence motion being moved m the Massey Government he would support that. On every occasion that was his attitude. The speaker said he took that attitude because there had been practically a continuous Govern meul, a succession of Premiers, each of whom nominated his successor, and he considered a break m that power would be in the interests of the country. At the same time he made it dear that he had no time for Mr Massey or his policy. The position had been obscured by the Press, the Dominion stating that he had been elected for no other purpose than to vote against the Government. That was not so. The people who promoted his candidature did so because they considered the time had arrived for Labour to be directly represented in the House.

The whole attack on the Government was directed against their administration and not their policy. He pledged himself to vote against the Government to get rid of that administration. He had been twitted for saying that he had broken the letter of his pledge but uot the spirit of it. The letter of his pledge was that he did uot vote them-out, but he kept the spirit as he had got them out.

Prior to the second ballot Mr Massey wired to the electorate ;

‘T trust that in the interests of the Dominion the Opposition will join with Labour in ousting a Ministry whose first thought is tor themselves and not lor the country.” That Ministry had gone but still the Opposition was not satisfied.

It was uot so much that they wanted Ward out, bin that they wanted Massey iu. The speaker said that as events turned out he saw an opportunity of conlorming with his pledges and at the same time keeping Massey off the Ministerial benches, and he took that course. Prior to the division

being taken Sir Joseph Ward had given his word that he intended to resign so it did not make any difference which way he voted as the Government was going out in any

case. Had been cast for Massey it would have had no

effect whatever in turning out the Government, but it would have had the effect of putting iu Massey

aud that was a thing he was never pledged to do. It had been said

that his proper attitude would

have been to have voted out the Ward Government aud then to

have voted out Massey

Had he

followed that course the position would have now been precisely the

same as it is. Some people were not satisfied in seeing Ward go

out, they wanted him kicked out

It had been stated that he did not

represent the majority of the

electors in this electorate aud he

quoted figures taken from the last

election to show that the majority of voters were opposed to Massey,

clearly indicating that in voting against Mr Massey's no-confidefice

motion he was representing the views 01 the majority of the

electors. Prior to the division he was made aware of the fact that

his vote would be the deciding factor as to whether there was

going to be a new Government out

of the liberal Party or a Massey Government. He had to look ab

the question apart even from this

electorate, because the result of the casting of his vote would not

only mean the representation of the Otaki electorate but the repre- J seutatiou 01 the country. He made up his mind to vote as he did because in the country itself the

Massey Party was in a minority and it would have been criminal on his part to vote into power a Government that did not represent a majority of the people. Hi s vote meant that the liberal Party was kept on the Government benches

and that was a very different thing irom voting for the Ward Government. The country bad now got an entirely new administration, and for the nrsc time in the history of New Zealand politics the Premier is the elect of the party in power. When he voted against Mr Massey’s noconfidence motion he was not voting for the Ward Government, but for the Government that was going to be formed. Mr Robertson dealt at some length with local criticism, saying that he tound that those who had been most abusive were people who at the first ballot voted for the official Opposition candidate and at the second tor the Government nominee, which was indeed a very big somersault. The speaker also dealt with an abusive telegram which he had received from a Foxton elector —'the only abusive one of its kind that had reached him. In conclusion the speaker said that under the circumstances he believed he had done the best thing and if the same position were to arrive again to-morrow he would follow exactly the same course as he had done on this occasion.

There were one or two questions at the conclusion of the address, but most of them were not on the matter of parly politics. Dr, Mandl asked the speaker if he would contest the seat at the next election as a supporter of the present Government. Mr Robertson said he would not, but would contest the seat again as a Eabour candidate. In reply to a further question the candidate said it was not a case of whether he would oppose a Government candidate, but the question was would a Government candidate oppose him. He was the man iu possession and would stand against allcomers. The Mayor congratulated Mr Robertson on the very lucid address that he had delivered. Even those in opposition to him could uot help but allow that he had made out a very good case for himself. Mr Robertson had been elected to represent this electorate in Parliament and it was now the duty of the electors to do all in their power to assist him to further i.u ma; _.;s of the district in any way possible. Mr R. Smith moved a vote of continued confidence in Mr Robertson, which was carried with only one dissentient voice. Mr Robertson briefly returned thanks and moved a vote ot thanks to the chair which was carried by acclamation.