THE SOMERSAULT GOVERNMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 8 January 1914, Page 7

THE SOMERSAULT GOVERNMENT.

I To the Editor, i Sir, —Quite recently, while tidying up, I I came across a bundle of rough notes which I took on the occasion of a speech delivered in the Durham road school, during the last election campaign, by Mr. liinc, M.P., one of the disciples of the wonderful Purity Government. The I Government that would—according to that Government, do such wonders for the farming community, and the colony as a whole; that would make such a ser- ! ies of revelations of Tamnianyism "if we only get at those pigeon-holes, then you will see;" that had such a vast improved method of finance over that of "plunger Ward," whose reckless system of raising the necessary loans was bankrupting the country; that would prevent "huge sops such as the Dunediu railway station," and would see to it that "more money was spent in roads to the back blocks than on such buildings;" that would wipe out that "hideous method of wastefulness called co-operative works;" that promised a better method of granting votes for roads and bridge-! because the Ward system was a disgrace and demoralised the members of Parliament; that had a better electoral system in being than the second ballot, which was only invented so that the so-called Liberal Government could J cling to the oflice seats in spite of the people. The Government that would see to it that huge sums were not spent on (State farms as bad been done; , that would prevent friends of Ministers being pitchforked into choice Government billets over'the heads of deserving ollicials; "it would surprise you to know '. the. numbers of such cases;" the Government that would reduce expenditure and taxation: that would see that the Advances to Settlers Otlice was a real bonelit to the struggling farmers, and not be used to assist those (a* had been done) ,\vho did not really require assistance—"J could mention numerous instances where such had happened": the Government that wanted to administer the laws iuiated by the Liberal I'arty, but which .fought tooth ami nail lo prevent them being made law; the. huge .public debt would be taken in hand and means taken to reduce same; the Government that would initiate h'gis lation that would immensely improve the condition of the workers; that would settle, for all time the land question and so on. Really. Mr. Editor, it does one good to go through the past statements of the I'urity disciple and compare them with the actions of the liresent time. I find a great fusillade against the. "dumb dogs" of the Ward j I administration, for whom the M.P. had j the "utmost scorn," but, how about the | . pitiable, exhibition of the "dumb dog" . j business by the present followers of the ' Reform Party? What a palpable "come I down" it must have been to these wilful l.misleaders of the unthinking but trust- [ ing electors to lind the. pigeon holes had I been kept free from underhand records and that-the dirt existed in their imagination only? What a nice pill to swallow must have been the admission by the wonderful linancier that he could not improve on the loan raising schemes of "that plunge)' Ward!" Some Reform | M-P.'s have openly expressed displeasure because the co-operative system has not keen abolished. The substitute promised, Where it lias been tried, is a disgrace to any body that pretends to be progressive, that pretends to be in the interests of ihc small mam and that promised a "square deal" all. round. And the poor angels [of purity can only chant "Give us time" when asked why they have not redeemed the host of promises made to the electors. Why should they come before the electors with misleading statements as to rotten administration. and lead them to believe they had better methods to apply if after two sessions they want time to fulfil the pledges? Of course, wc quite expect the usual taradiddle of waste of time by the Opposition, etc., Imt J would like to remind a great many who voted for the Reform brigade solely because they be- | lieved in a strong Opposition, and who; nerer for a moment thought it would j jump into the benches that the Ward Opposition is doing its duty as an Opposition, and should therefore meet with their approval. And again there i s lit- ■ tie doubt but that the public will in the near future receive the doses of the usual claptrap -because the carelessness and the gullibility of the average elector has been so well studied and taken advantage of thai it. seems impossible to believe that anything else should occur. When all 'is said and done the public are to blame- lor all the hideous waste thai goes on under the party system that now obtains in the politics of the Dominion. The ones that are "oitL" desire to get "in" and can' not how much dust is thrown in order to bamboozle the powers that decide whether they go in or stay out. but a party that remained in power for lib odd years and assisted the do\ ciupint nl of the country to its present high state deserved better consideration at the bands of the electors than was given I hem. When will electors recognise that they are simply pawns in the game as at present played? They can. however, if they choose, in one bit make a vast improvement in the method of. play ing. It will never come about under the Massey. principle, the motto for which should be. "vox et practerca nihil." etc. JOE. Tl. SIMPSON". Durham Itoad.