The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, December 3, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1332, 3 December 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, December 3, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

In previous issues we have quoted Mr Robertson’s views of the Ward Party expressed prior to the last election. It will be remembered that Mr Robertson said “the party had outlived its usefulness,” it was “like the chameleon” and “ready to be the tool of any section which enabled it to hold place and power;” “it was wholly unable to proceed any further in the reforms for the betterment of the people” and, like the poor little reptile, it would “pass out.” The same gentleman now seeks to save bis political skin by sheltering on the tartan with the poor little reptile be professed to despise. Are the Opposition supporters in this constituency prepared to be fooled by this astute gentleman as he fooled the Reform supporters last election ? Has Mr Robertson declared that if the Opposition is returned to power he will support them on no-confidence motions ? Are the Opposition prepared to try him with another pledge ? They have yet time.

The Opposition need to be careful that they leave him no loophole, because he is as slippery as an eel. Here is his audacious repudiation of Reform support prior to the second ballot, in the House as reported in Hansard No. 15 page 576, (1913) ;

Mr Robertson : I came into the House pledged also against the Ward Administration. Mr Anderson : Who put you into Parliament ? Mr Robertson : The honourable gentleman asks, ‘Who put you into Parliament ?’ I am very glad he asked that question, because I will just tell him. I was put in Parliament primarily by the people in the Otaki Electorate, and I just want to clear up some misconceptions in the minds of that honourable member and some other honourable members on that side of the House. In the first place, sir, I want to make a statement: that I never at any time or in any shape or form during the election contest approached the Reform party for assistance in any way whatever In my campaign. Some friends of mine in the electorate advised me between the first and second ballot to give them permission to wire to the Hon. Mr Massey to ask him to advise his supporters to support me in that election, and my reply was that it any ot them dared do such a thing I would retire from the contest.

Now, let us see what took place. Speaking at Foxton prior to the second ballot, on Saturday, Dec, 9th, 1911, Mr Robertson stated in the course ot his address “that he had been officially notified that Opposition support was to be given to him. He had met Mr Monckton the day after the poll in Otaki, and that gentleman had informed him that he would work to secure Mr Robertson’s return and would ask his supporters to do likewise. The object was to unite forces to

oust the Ward Administration from office. , . In answer to a question he said “he would vote on a no-confidence motion against the Ward Government," He made the utmost use of the message from Mr Massey, a message received in reply to a request for the Reform support in the second ballot and paraded the information at all bis meetings. Mr Robertson’s aclion is on all fours with the little boy who skulked outside the fence while his pals stole the fruit and on being caught whined, “Please, sir, I didn’t steal the apples, I only ate them !’’

Thk real question before the electors is whether or net they are satisfied with the efficacy of the national administration at this time of extraordinary emergency, says the Auckland Herald. If there were any doubt as to the loyalty ot the Reform Government it should be summarily dismissed from office, for these are times when there could be no greater danger to the most vital interests of the Dominion than would result from the participation of dis loyal and unpatriotic elements in the public administration. There can be no question as to the steady loyalty of the Reform Administration and of all its supporters. There is no disloyal element in the Dominion other than that associated with the I.W.W. whose discredited leaders are doing their utmost to oust Mr Massey from office. Whether their association with the Opposition for this purpose commends itself to the electors of New ZeaZealand we shall know on election night. As for the administrative ability of the unquestionably loyal Reform Administration we have the proof in the remarkable manner in which the ordinary industrial and commercial life is proceeding during a period of stress and strain unprecedented and unexampled in the history of the world. So ably have the recurring problems of the hour been handled as they arise that had it not been for the exceptional shortage of rain there would have been little variation from ordinary years. The Government has dealt promptly and reasonably with the gum industry in the interest of the diggers and of those who depend upon the work of the diggers ; the Government has increased public works in a systematic and careful manner, so that though occasional trades are depressed there is no general unem ployment; the Government has laboured successfully for the restoration of normal financial conditions and has maintained advances to settlers and to workers at the highest possible point. It has been attacked by interested parties and by malignant partisans for its strenuous efforts to secure lull supplies of wheat at fair prices, but as the facts of the wheat situation are becoming understood it is being universally recognised that in wheat as in wool, the Government’s action has been both well-advised and beneficial. With trade steadily recovering from the first shock of war conditions with employment generally available and steadily as improving, with no marked financial depression and with even an extraordinary spring drought unable to produce discouragement, what reasonable charge of incapacity or indequacy can be brought against the Massey Administration ?