THE BAY OF ISLANDS ELECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1402, 25 May 1915, Page 2

THE BAY OF ISLANDS ELECTION.

It seems a pity that Sir Joseph Ward could not have refrained from entering the political contest which is now taking place in the Bay of Islands. Following the selection of the Liberal candidate at Kaikohe, on Saturday, the Leader of the Opposition addressed a public meeting in support of the candidate, and said a good many things which, even from his own Party standpoint, would have been better left unsaid, because quite a number of his statements could, and will be turned against him with damaging effect. Ignoring, for instance, the hostility he displayed to the proposals, first introduced by Mr Massey and Mr Allen, for the adoption ot the National system of compulsory military training, Sir Joseph ' took credit for the passing of the Defence Act, and Initiation of the system which he himself had opposed, and sundry of his supporters, including Mr G. W. Russell, Mr George Witty, and Mr L. M. Isitt, had condemned ; Mr Isitt because “he was bitterly against the existiug system, which he regarded as arbitrary and oppressive, and exorbitantly and unnecessarily expensive;” Mr Russell because it was ‘‘both unnecessary aud impracticable and Mr Witty, “ because it is the Opposition who have practically framed the Bill, and it is the Opposition who have practically carried it through;” while Sir Joseph himself stated at Feilding In 1908 that ” they had to guard agaiust any insidious system of militarism in this country in the shape of compulsory training being driven down the throats of the people of the Dominion.