POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 107, 13 January 1912, Page 5

POLITICAL.

MR. MASSEY'S VIEWS. ' ■ By Telegraph—l'rui Association / Auckland, Last Night. Speaking at a Bocial, the, (Leader of the Opposition (Mr. W. Massey) said'' he was convinced the Reform Party ' would, gain larger individual majorities if it was forced to appeal to the country again within twelve months. He ' hoped in the near future that it would be able to reduce thje cost of living and gave workers access to a happiness which had never been given the people by those calling themselves the "Liberal Party." "We are ready to do our duty," said Mr. Massey in conclusion, "even if we are called upon to face another general election." AN ALLEGED SCANDAL. A MATTER FOR ENQUIRY. In referring to a recent telegram from ' Nelson, regarding, a sinister charge which, as the result of a iand trans- . action, may create a. •vacancy. in the " 1 Ministerial following, the Dunedin Star (a Government paper), says:-—"Now there has been no land transaction of any sort—certainly nothing of thejkind that prompted the Hine charges. But 1 something has been allowed to transpire ■■ about a dramatic discovery of a trAns- ■ action in which the names of three mea who sat in the last Parliament are un- 1 - pleasantly handled. There is one trf v them who is_ still entitled to write - "M.P." after his name. The transaction with which his name has been associated > is said to have arisen in connection with 1 the passage of the Mining Act Amendment Bill of last session; but whether or not there has been 'graft I —'for that, . nakedly, is the averment against the trio —is a matter unquestionably for search' ing investigation at the proper time and ' in the constitutional way, for the honol of Parliament seems to be involved." The paper adds:—"The allegation cannot be passed over in silenpe; it must, either be formulated and proved, or it must be shown to have been concocted - for a sinister purpose. But, in justice to the Parliamentarian who?e .name has been associated with the allegation, it must be said that he 'has given a most emphatic denial to the story impeaching his personal honor, and courts th© amplest possible enquiry. The matter is certainly too serious to rest where it does at present, but the next move to the face of that positive denial must come from those who are said to be in possession of the alleged incriminatory evidence. Developments will certainly be awaited with the utmost curiosity."

OPINION OF A GERMAN' VISITOR.

A! MIDDLE PARTY MUST ABiISE.

The political situation in New Zealand at the present time was the sujbject of an interesting opinion by Dr. F. Schone during the course of his lecture pn New Zealand at Victoria College a few even- 1 ings ago. It, was interesting, he said, to observe into what an important position' the Labor Party had been placed in spite of the minimum number of seats they have gained in the new Parseems to rest at present ihs decision of what the future course is going to be. And although there has been a distinct growth of Labor votes in the past, leading tills time, for the fir,st time, to the entrance of four members'into Parliament. I believe that the present con-, stellation of thingß is bound to 'strength- t en t/ie cause ofLabor, and,, to'induce tho8» followers of the combined Liberal* Labor .party whose -sympathies incline more> towards the Labor than the moderate Liberal programme to try and. send a decided Labor candidate into the House next time. There seems to me to be a greater difference between the' moderate Liberal and tlje Labor party than between the former and the .present Opposition. So things seem, to point towards the development' of' a, blending" together of the present Conservatives with the moderate part of the present( Liberals into a new party of moderate. Conservatives or moderate liberals, or whatever name they might opt pesed by a radical Labor party. In a democratic country like NeW Zealand this seems to-lie a natural development, ; the more probable for the precedents observed in Australia. And I believe > strong Government with principles based ■upon a wholesome mixture of reasonable Conservatives and sincere Liberalism, controlled as it were by a strong and sound Labor Opposition, could become a great blessing to a country like New Zealand. Whilst, on the other hand, I personally cannot persuade myself that a Labor Government with a Conservative or Liberal Opposition would be equally qualified to successfully develop a country in evolution like New Zealand"' •