WHEY BUTTER AND OTHER THINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 151, 21 November 1914, Page 3

WHEY BUTTER AND OTHER THINGS.

I To the Editor. I Sir. —I read a, letter over Mr. Walter Powdrell's signature in your columns the other day, in which he attempts to justify what ia in my opinion a fraudulent description of an article, which, if it were of such super-excellent qualities as he infers, has 110 need to masquerade as something else. If it is really so flood, why not brand it what it is, viz., "whey butter.' and not "pure factory butter." Mr Powdrell may be a causist and argue thai being made at a factory it is factory butter, but it does not follow. Why not be honest about the name ?

' My intention, liowever, was not to go into the merits and demerits of that particular article, but to try to point out to your readers what is in my opinion the reasons for Mr Walter Powdrell taking such a keen interest in an election for a district in which he has no vote, and to the Liberal candidate, to whom he is bitterly opposed. Mr Powdrell is a brother-in-law of Mr Pearce, M.P. for Patea, and, listen, ye small farmers! Both are large landowners, both have considerable interests in or near Patea. Mr Powdrell is, in addition, chairman of the Patea Freezing Co. Mr Pearce, whatever his political failings may be, is a much stronger man, and lias far more influence than Mr Okey. The Public Trustee and West Coast Reserves office have been removed from Plymouth to Hawera during his term as member, and although it was in our interests to have the junction of the coast railway at Stratford, it has gone considerably south of Eltham, although we had botii Mr Hine and Mr Okey for this end. Further, all exports south-* of Eltham that pass over the Moturoa wharf are credited to Patea. His interests, then, and those of Mr Powdrell, are diametrically opposed to those of New Plymouth, awl to further those interests it is important to them to keep a weak man politically entrenched at New Plymouth. The advent of Mr Hughes lias upset their calculations. As long as New Plymouth is represented by a political nonentity, things will go very much as they want them. In Mr Hughes they recognise a strong, agressive and persistent man, and know they are up against a proposition that will prove too much for them. Hence the reason for the extraordinary interest displayed as to the electorate. We all know that we are on the verge of possible changes, and should the New Plymouth harbour prove the success we hope it will, Patea will never be of much more importance than at present, and those investments will not make the handsome return they are expected to make, hence the solicitude of our southern friend for Mr Okey's political welfare.

The conclusions to which I have come —again only matters of opinion—arc: That New Plymouth must be represented by a strong man; that we have the man in Mr Hughes; that the people interested in Patea recognise the fact; that every vote cast for Mr Hughes is in our best interests; that every vote cast for Mr Okey is a vote cast against the prosperity of New Plymouth and the New Plymouth harbour.—l am, etc., ■ VIGILANT.