MR J. B. HINE'S MEETING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 43, 26 June 1913, Page 7

MR J. B. HINE'S MEETING.

[To The Editor Stratford Post.]

Sir, To my mind it is somewhat useleas to criticise th© political utterances of Mr J. B. Hine from the press reports of his meetings,, for when his platform statements which are generally self-contradictory meet with public resentment he shields himself by indignantly condemning the reports as misrepresentations. This Will be apparent to those who will look up the Stratford Evening Post of November 25th, 1911, and there read an account of "That Whanga Meeting. I havo enough confidence in the Stratford Evening Post's report of his last meeting to engage in a little criticism. At one if Mr Hine's meetings I saw the blush of pride steal over his kindly face as ho drew forth vociferations by his advocacy of "Preferential Trade" within the Empire. Yes, he would go .any length to adjust the Customs tariff, so that foreign goods would not comoete on the markets ot this Dominion with those of Bntisn workmen. On Wednesday evening last he delivered himself \& a new aspect of this question. He said: 1 would like to see the Customs tarn! abolished, and the whole of the taxes leVied oh wealth and land:" Mr i\. m King, *>» accusing him of being a single-taxer, was astonished to get the Rowing &&!'• 'V tn » v \ GW f eX " pressed "were those of a, single-taxei then he was a single-taxer," Mr Hine you havo in one-and-a-nalt years become a free-trader, snigletaxer and an opponent of preferential trade within the Empire,; This is only a trifling matter to a pd ltlcian of Mr Hino's calibre. A question causing considerable uneasiness in the the general public and> school teachers, of tbi.s J Jominion "Bible lessons m Mr Hine, who claims to he. a bit ahead : of public, thought in New Zealand, when asked if he was in' iavor ot. innovation, gave .a mo* ,evasive replv He said he had not seen the proposals of the Bible-in r Schools Leaand so- could not say if he approved the Bible-reading, proposal. The Anglican Bishop of Auckland has d stributed among the members ,of the communion to which Mr Hine belongs certain written interrogations on this subject, and I want to know if Mi Sine was able to furnish the Bishop witt a direct answer to the question submitted? I think it would be reason-, able to infer that the Bishop got an " When asked if he had not found Sir Joseph Ward a & £ honourable gentleman, he said Ido dine' to be drawn into a personal attack," and "I am surprised at an elector endeavouring to draw me. The ouly inference to be drawn from this reply, is that he could not answer the question without making a personal attack Now it is clear tha be was not able to state that bir Joseph is a gentleman for in doing so he would not have to make a pe - sonai attack. As I have pointed out before, it is Unfair to expect too much from Mr Hine, but when a gent Lyman's character and honour is ti.e subfect of a question, it is not too much to expect that Mr Hme s reply would have shown a little sense of a gentleman's self respect. However, Sir Joseph is a gentleman, and I and tens-of-thousands of others will always be found. ready to defend his honour when it is called into quesI offer no excuse for stating that it was absurd for Mr. Hine to claim to be a bit ahead of public thought jr, New Zealand. The electors know well the measure of Mr Hine s public capabilities, and the most regretable fact about his address was this piece of egotism. When a man thus refers to himself, you may be sure that if you strike him on the torehead, you will hear an echo. 1 am, etC ' THOMAS BOYLE.