The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1905. Mr MASSEY'S REPLY TO THE PREMIER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 787, 1 April 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1905. Mr MASSEY'S REPLY TO THE PREMIER.

Som» few weeks back the Leader of tfie Opposition oc«upied 'the stage of Hie Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, .nd from that vantage ground gave a political address which demonstrated, doubtless to his own complete satisfaction, that the ways of the Scddon Government were those of th» transgressors, and that the country was sadly in need of Mr Masscy'a pure methods and wise policy to lead it back to the status gjid ante Scdidon, and Jtullance. The attack on the Government was by no means strong, rather was it on a par with; the apology for a policy which the Opposition offers the country. It was necessary, however, that the "Premier should reply, and this he did in his usual trenchant way, tearing 1 Mr Massey's arguments to shreds, .while proving conclusively, Hie benefits that had accrued to thq colony through the legislation initiated' and passed during the prosent LibcraJ Administration. 'Hardly, however, have the last echoes of the Premier's utterances at Auckland died away, when Mr Mussey returns to the attack, this time holding forth at the Brill Hall, but even under the Inspiration that might be expected to arise through addressing a large audience In a building devoted to warlike purposes, the Opposition lion roared even more feebly than at his first venture. He started with an attempt to secure the »ympatWes of his audience by alluding to "the shameful way the north peninsula_ of this island had liven treated," but his exaggerated statements on this head only amounted, when boiled down, to an admission that these belated settlers already possessed three or four sections l of I'ailway, the grievance being; that these sections (would there were •onie in Taranaki), "were not so useful as they would have been had they been connected with main lines, and it was the duty of the Government to give the people of the extreme north the benefits due to them."- The only wonder is that, having begun in this heroic strain. Mi- Masscy did not cap the nonsense by promising each of "the people of the extreme north"- that Ihoy should enjoy the blessing of railway connection with all parts of the colony iifonly they placed him in power, It is satisfactory to find that Mr Masscy stopped short whore he didv but it was evident he felt himself in thq domain of light comedy, for ho next

proceeded to amuse the audience with a yam about two won and an overseer being sent up from Wellington to Start the Makohinc viaduct, that one man left, and alter a while the pther man got tired of working fn a hole while the overseer looked dowj) on him, so he cleared out. Mr Masse.v, artor seriously saying that he hoped one man only would ha left to construct the Kawakawa line, spoilt the whole Jjy adding: "JoEing apart;"- and then 'bjam|lng the Government for the statp of affairs disclosed in his funny, talc. Perhaps it was only nauial that the apoetio q( purity ani rectitude should indulge in thc : boa<jt, that by the time he had iinisfced hi? remarks there would be very little of the Premier's speech ileft, and thai (t would taka Mr Soddon's' friends '■' all thoir time to pick up the rags and Catters." Not' a notcoJ applause or a ripple of amusement seems to

have been evoked by this thrilling announcement, and though Mr Massoy may be assumed to have nietaphorica'Jy fallen on the Premier a raj ground him to dust, yet the Right Hon gentleman is, if anything, stronger in his position than ever. The rags and tatters that are accumulating on the platform u(, the. Drill Hall are those pertaining to Mi' Massey's reputation. Much work is he making for his own friends thereby, with a promise of more lo come, for the sei'lo-eomedy JU is stilj in full sway, and finds vent in a tilt at Mr Seddon'a reference "to himself as a political Sandow—a remarkably apt simile. Mr Massey, however, would prefer that the Premier should have likened himself to Goliuth, ''who was clothed In brass." but the speaker modestly refrained from pursuing tho simile. This piece of self-denial must be placed) to his credit, for the temptation of positfg as Hie giant dayer must have been very strong, oven in face of tho unenviable traits irfcichutho ''sUnger" afterwards developed.- If anything;were required

choicoof a sftnrile, Mr Mnssfey's remarks furnished tfoa nocessaey material therefor. The Incident throws a side light on the \vho:!e of the sceech— the desire to get rid of the Premier, aad it also emphasises the fact that there is no need for Mr Seddon to wear brass or any other, armour when lie has such weak foes to meet are those who play the discordant, music to the Oppositions noisy drum. The only waj in which Mr Masscy had a hope of scoring a point was by inuendo such as that which he made in relation io the I'ubvic Revenue AcE, 1900, whoreunder he said if a vote was passed for work in Otaigo, n Minister had power to spend the money in Auckland. If, as Mr Mnssey admitted, that such a thing "was not likely to occur," why did ho mention it as a most improper provision, unless for the purpose of h'.n'ing that it wns a provision specially inserted to enable n Minister to be tho chief actor in a barefaced fraud on a district, and that by inference tho present Government were not to be trusted, though of course the Opposition! might be. To follow Mr Masscy through the whole of his long oration, and to comment thereon, would be too great a tux on tho patience of our readers, neither would it be profitable to do so. One fact stands out in unmistakable prominence—the Premier's: speech remains intact, and, without doub.t, Mr Masscy has made it all the more potent as a forceful exposition of the colony's advancement and happy condition under the guidance of a party who have the real interests of the masses at heart, and of a leader who has proved His ability for the position not only by a record tenure of olfflce, but also by Its farstfcing policy as evidenced by tho pages of the statute books. No bcV tcr testimony than this can be wished for, and all the misrepresentaH tions or cajoleries of the Opposition wi'U be of no avail to overturn such a Ministry so Jong- as it adheres to the traditions which it has so faithfully and fearlessly kept to in the past.