The Daily News. THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1905. POLITICAL CONTORTIONISTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7825, 18 May 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1905. POLITICAL CONTORTIONISTS.

Judging from the peculiar tactics which tho leading members l of tho Opposition are now developing, it would seem as if they were bent on treating the political arena as a circus for displaying their remarkable skill as acrobats and contortionists. As a matter of fact, the more closely the vagaries of Mr Massey are watched the deeper grows the impression that he is modelling his poli» tics on circus lines. His wonderful flights of imagination, daring rides for a fall, unrivalled somersaults of opinions, .extraordinary juggling with facts and figures, all favour of the ring, and the vigorous beating oi the Opposition drum lends additional similitude to the operations. If only he could play the part of the ringmaster tilen he might be regarded as a whole circus in himself. But it-is uvident the Leader of the Opposition has kindred talent in his company of performers, so, as a change of programme wo find Mr Duthie taking a turn as a contortionist of the public aiwunts. With the assistance o! the Post, which supports the party, the public is invited to witness what is termed a "faking of the public accounts." Those versed in the language of slums and thieves' kitchens will understand the slang term, but others will bit more struck with astonishment that such a word should find its way into the headlines of a respectable journal. We are frequently reminded of the truth of the adage that necessity has no law, but it must bo a dire necessity that brings .such a word into use in connection with the credit of the colony, and the integrity of its responsible officers. To justify such a charge, even in the slightest degree, would be the death knell of any Government, no matter how popular it might be, but this being entirely impossible it has heon found necessary to resort to the twistings and convolutions of a contortionist in order to gi\e a semblance of foundation for the calumny. The amounts transfered from surplus to the public works are stated to be mythical, Mr Duthie's words being : "It appears more than doubtf'l! whether there has yet been one shilling of genuine surplus from legitimate revenue during the whole of tho , Soddon Administration." Yet Mr Duthie has again and again publicly admitted there lias been a large genuine surplus. It was inevitable that some means of wriggling out of recorded statements must be found, so it is contended that charges on the public works fund arc charges upon loan. Almost any fifth standard boy or girl could refute this statement, but it is made to serve the purpose of endeavouring to mislead the public. The next "exposition" Mr Duthie makes is in connection with the way in which "the Telegraph and Telephone Department is made to contribute to this juggling." lie apparently wishes to di- , vert attention from his own contor- ; lions by pointing to what he calls the "juggling" of the Government. When some people recognise that the task of creating a change in the political situation is no longer possible by means of solid argument, they invariably devote their attention to figures, which are generally considered to be capable of being used to prove anything that the skill of the operator may desire. To do this successfully it is necessary to start from safe premises, or the result is signal failure. Mr Duthie not only starts badly with his charges relating to the Telegraph Department, but rapidly comes to grief. To charge to revenue account the cost of extensions would be unsound and unprecedented financing. Here again the same "loan"' leven is used to work the oracle, and an added attraction to the programme is furnished by the inuendo that this department provides its own audit, and that the extent of the system of deception in vogue cannot be stated. No wonder, for it does not exist. The expenditure is al( audited by the Audit Department, and it is only the revenue which is not so audited. In no department of the State is such care taken in the supervision and classification of expenditure as in that of the Postal and Telegraph. Mr Duthie Is pleased to describe the present system as "hoCMS pocus," devised with the intention of confusing accounts and preventing criticism There is far greater safety In this general assertion than in untenable [arguments on particular items. The 'method adopted by the Opposition ia cjrtainly not devoid of humorous points. It is the circus policy over again—much to amuse, nothing to profit by, not a little that palls on ( good taste, and a sprinkling of those imiendos which are repulsive to all denn-minded people. Will it , pay ? Emphatically, No ! !W- 1 >