THE Pukekohe and Waiuku times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 8, 1914 THURSDAY'S BATTLE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 254, 8 December 1914, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 8, 1914

THURSDAY'S BATTLE.

" We nothing extenuate, nor net down auoht in malic,r "

Thursday next will see the saddling up of the contestants and the race for the Pailiaraeutary stakes of the Dominion. In our own particular electorate (Franklin) the laurels of victory ate confidently expected to go to the winner of many previous similar contests, namely, Mr Maßsey, since quite apart from political considerations no adequate reason has been advanced to influence the electors to pass over such a well and tried representative as Mr Massey. However worthy Mr Glass (his opponent) m*y be, we anticipate that the peaple of Franklin will with no uncertain voice again accord Mr Massey their support as a mark of appreciation of his personal qualities and of satisfaction with his discbarge of duties as their representative in Parliament, and as an act of recognition of his earnest and faithful management of the country's affairs as Prime Minister of New Zealand during the past two-and-a-tialf years. The suggestion that Mr Massey has misused his position to advance his personal interests in the Helvetia Ostrich Farm is an unfair and cowardly attack on his personal integrity, and Mr Massey has challenged his traducers to come out into the open and to repeat their accusations. Ihe facts are that the Waiuku railway, as originally surveyed several years ago under the Liberal Government, provided for a railway right through the centre of the Ostrich Farm, whereas as now laid out it only traverses a corner ot the property and that adjacent to ibe existing Main Trunk line, So much political capital has been attempted to be made out of what is nothing less than a mares'-nest that one of the Wellington papers gave publicity to aj statement made by a certain speaker to the effect that a station named "Helvetia" had already been built in the middle ot the property. The people of Franklin knowing the exact circumstances will assuredly acquit Mr Massey of the charge bolstered up against him, and to this end we may quote certain appropriate remarks made by the Prime Minister at his recent meeting at Pukekohs, when he said "If lam misrepresented I am perfectly content to leave the misrepresentation to my constituents, as they know I would never be guilty of a mean, contemptible or underhand action."