CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 2, 21 May 1914, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

BETTER THAN NOTHING. . Addressing his constituents tlie other evening Mr. Iline, referring to the James letter, said "he wished to dissociate himself entirely from such, tactics used by any party." We wish that Mr. llassey would do tlie same. Some of the more reputable of the Ministerial newspapers have been good enough to condemn the attempt made by the "Reform" League secretary to fake up a bogus "public" opinion of hostility to Sir Joseph Ward; but the majority have quietly ignored the awkward affair altogether. Mr. -(line's repudiation is .refreshing. Coming from one belonging to I a party which for years has traded in abuse and misrepresentation, the statement has -all the more significance. There seems almost to be reason to hope that the "Reform" party may yet reform, although it would lie reckless to be over sanguine. We have pleasure in approving Mr. Hine's action in dissociating himself entirely from such unworthy tactics; but we suggest that lie should go a step further and publicly apologise for his own reckless charges of ''Tamnnniyism" of a few years biu-k. Nobody knowa better than ithe member for Stratford Hunt in advancing the accusations against the Ward Government which he did, he made the mistake of his life. We can hardly see why he should denounce the action of it.lie "Reform" secretary and expect to go scot free himself. Fair play is bonny play. Still, what we aro able to announce is better than nothing.—Wellington Times.