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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 122, 14 November 1911, Page 4

MR. OKEY'S MEETING. The, member- for the district, who is again seeking the suffrages of electors, had what might be described as a successful meeting in New Plymouth last evening. It is to the credit of the town that on whatever side a political aspirant may be he is sure of an attentive and impartial hearing. It takes a good deal, certainly, to enthuse or deeply move local people in regard to politics. Mr. Okey, of course, is not a Cicero; he does not attempt any oratorical flights, and were he to live to the age of Methuselah he would not move an audience, even a less placid one than New Plymouth, to a very great pitch of excitement. Probably Mr. Okey would be the first to disclaim the possession of any such talent or ambition. Ho told his story hist night in an unconventional, unvarnished and earnest way. It is an old story, one that is pretty well threadbare as a result of the hard wear it has had of late, but evidently it is considered good enough to serve its purpose, namely, discrediting the Government and their administration, and lauding the aims and programme of the Party who desire to dispossess them of their seats on the Treasury Benches. To those with but a passing acquaintance with politics, however, the story can be assessed at its true Value. We do not purpose just now examining the main points of the story. We will attend to that later. We have only time to refer to one or two local matters. Firstly we desire to acknowledge the attentive and conscientious way in which Mr. Okey has attended to his Parliamentary duties und the wants of his constituents during the time he has represented the seat. That he has done his best will, wo think, be conceded by everyone, even by those who think his best is of no particular consequence. It is a unique record for him to claim, as he claimed last evening, that he had not been away, during the five years he has been a representative, from the House when it was sitting. It shows that he has a proper conception of the duty he owes his constituency and the country. It appears to us that over I the passing of the Harbor Bill Mr. Okey has taken upon himself, certainly by inference, quite undue credit, and does not give enough credit where it is due. Now, then; would have been no Harbor Bill and none of the harbor improvement that is going on had it not been for the sterling services rendered first of al! by the promoters (and particularly Mr. Maxwell, who by a fine tactful move turned the southern opposition to the Bill into support), and next of the Taranaki Legislative Councillors, and then of the Premier and Mr. Millar. Without the assistance of the latter gentlemen, all the persuasive eloquence and lobbying of Mr. Okey would havo proved wasted effort. Mr. Okey certainly did his duty; we do not wish to detract from it; but the outsider not knowing the circumstances and listening to him last evening would have gained the idea that it was. a case of Mr. Okey first and all the rest nowhere, when it was no such thing. Mr. Okey, during his remarks, claimed to be personally pure in the matter of carping criticism and unfair suggestion, yet he had not proceeded far when he said: "I believe you would have had the Opunake railway authorised this year, but it would have looked too bare-faced to give it just before a general election, and particularly with a Cabinet Minister coming out as a candidate, for the Egmont seat!" How does Mr. Okey reconcile the two statements? Then, again, he said: "I think tho purchase of Spotswood settlement might have been included in the ITine charges." Wasnjjfc that another of the hinted charges of Tammany ism? Why does not Mr. Okey s peak out plainly on the matter, giving chapter and verse, as would be expected of one of a set of clean, honest, straightforward, men, of which he claims that the Reform Party' is composed? Mr. Okey also .stated that he had no time for an independent *, politician. "You never know,"-lrc said, "where ■ to find him." ft took Mr. Okey a long time to find this out. llo; was for years ploughing a lonely furrow as an IndependentLiberal, candidate. But apparently no one even knew where to find him. ' The

first time there was a vacancy on one side of the political fence he slid off the rail, and, lo! a "Reform" Party candidate! Mr. Okey was very niggardly in his acknowledgment of the splendid service the Government have rendered the petroleum industry, giving his hearers the impression that but for him the assistance would not have been forthcoming. Really, Bill Adams ha,s a modern prototype! The fact is that the snl->-sidv, geological sur""" --•--" shipment- -" • -.. > sc.uing of a trial -'" „ oi oil to the Admiralty, and .eduction of duty, would have been forthcoming without Mr. Okey's intercession, as when the position was put to the Premier and the Minister for Mines by others besides the member for the district, they saw the justice of the representations, and acted accordingly. Again, we do not wish to rob Mr. Okey of any kudos attached to his action in the matter. He did his duty, but the work of others, who were actually responsible for enlisting the interest and support of the Government, cannot be discounted or overlooked. Mr. Okey holds no small opinion of the extent of his influence in the affairs of the nation, as shown by his statement regarding the vote for the Stratford-Ongarue railway. From it one who did not know the position would imagine that he was chiefly responsible for the sum of £.100,000 being placed on the Estimates for this important work. He takes credit for everything done in his electorate or outsfdc of it, and it is possible the grass may wither, the cows go dry, and the oil cease to flow should Taranaki unfortunately lose his superb political services. Mr. Okey, in reply to a statement made by the Liberal candidate, said he was an out-and-out opponent of the Government, and would vote against them. He misses the point. No one finds fault with his opposing the Government, but to tell the people as he did at last election that he did not wish the Government to go out of office, and then to vote against them when he reached Parliament, is inconsistent and hypocritical. He cannot run with the. hares and hunt with the hounds at the same time. Mr. Okey really ought to drop the gag about Mr. Massey having been invited to join the Ministry. It has been completely exploded by this time, and no political capital is to be made out of retailing it further. Mr. Okey did not seem-to be quite happy in answering some of the Questions, but< further examination of his views we will have to hold over for the present.