A MARE'S NEST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 259, 26 October 1908, Page 2

A MARE'S NEST.

We cannot help sympathising with Air. Spues out tiie way a which he has been treated by a section oi his political opponents. Certain allegedly incriminating documents, or photographs of them, were circulated in the. ulstrlet, presumably for the purpose of damaging Air. Kyunes' public character and his prospects at the forthcoming poll. One was a letter and account sent to an individual living out of Air. Lymes' electorate claiming five per cent, commission on a sum ot money lecovered for the executors of thp estate of which tiie said individual wns a beneficiary. At his meeting at Stratford last week, Air. bynics challenged the production of the incriminating documents. Tin challenge was taken up by Air. Hemingway wno, in respect of the "commission' letter, contended that a member bad no right to charge for a service rendered to a constituent. Air Syincs s llu «'cd that the letter bad not

I been written to a constituent, the party in uucsliun living outside liiu district; that ho hud not acted in llis Parliamentary capacity but as a commission agent (a liinj' ot business he Mows); that lie had never received a copper for anytiling lie hail done for any constituent in his position as member; and that the claim, liy reason ot the surrounding ciraunistajices, was an equitable one. Mr. Synies' refutation was complete. I'oli- . tical slanders are not easy to nail. As , tt rule they do not come within striki ing distance, in this case, the allega- , tions were made direct to the candidi ate, whose very reputation and political , existence depended upon the nature of , his reply. Had it been proved that Mr. [ Symes used his office as tile people's rc- - prcsentativo in Parliament to cartcn his i private pocket, Stratford could have | done one thing and one thing only— j

refused him the opportunity of again offending. Happily lor himself and for the electorate, Mr. Spues' explanation was perfectly reasonable and satisfactory, and will, we are sure, be considered as such by unbiassed electors. We do aot blame Mr. Hemingway for bringing things to a bead in the maimer tie, did. Only the possessron of a .strong sense of public duty could have moved him to face the member on the platform and make such serious charges against him. The more the searchlight of publicity is turned on public men's doings, the better i s it for the proper conduct ox our public affairs. What we do blame Mr. Hemingway for, however, is that lie did not thorougnlv acquaint himself with the facts of the case in question before indicting Jlr. Synies, and also for not indicling him at lust election when the so-called incriminating letters were unearthed. Instead, the letters in the interim were industriously circulated throughout the electorate for the purpose, presumably, of damaging the reputation of the member. Without an explanation the letters certainly looked very damaging, and it was due to Mr. Symcs and also to the electors that he should have been given the opportunity in the first instance to explain his position in regard to them. As things turned out, tiie biters themselves will be the sufferers, and not Mr. Synies.