REFRESHING INDEPENDENCE.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 258, 18 October 1928, Page 4

REFRESHING INDEPENDENCE.

READERS of a certain report which appeared in one of the Auckland dailies must have rubbed their eyes with astonishment. The message stated that thfe official Reform candidate for Franklin, Mr. John Massey, while pledging himself to support the present Government upon a motion of no-confldence, reserved the right of private judgment and action on all other occasions. Franklin is pre-em-inently a Reform stronghold, and its representative in Parliament for many years was the late Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey, P.C., Prime Minister, of whom the present candidate is a son. Mr. John Massey has always displayed independence of views, and top much backbone to be swayed much in any direction against his convictions. It is indeed refreshing, and all to the’ good, that he should set so courageous and mueh-called-for an example. That representatives of a supposedly enlightened democracy should in this twentieth century deliberately vote against their convictions and the interests of their constituencies upon occasion merely because a measure happens to be a government one is farcical and deplorable. In fact, it is equally as bad as being hamstrung by some purely sectional interest, such as by one or other party on the liquor question, or would-be tariff manipulators. A candidate should be sent to Parliament to do his best for his. constituency and the Dominion, and not to dance obedience at the crack of the party whip. If the report be correct, Mr. Massey has set a very good example, and one that might well find general acceptance.