WAS THERE A MAN AFRAID?

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1919, Page 2

WAS THERE A MAN AFRAID?

To the Editor. Sir, —just a line to draw attention to the extraordinary attitude of tho Government Party In the Taranaki electorate. Their want of spirit is a reflection on the general community of New Plymouth. Here is a strong Massey constituency just about ready to brand itself over to what may bo reasonably termed "A stormy petrel in politics." Tho late R. J. Seddon was wont to mako a pretty stiff bargain with any community looking for Government assistance to develop its public requirements. "Yes, Gentlemen," he would tell tho deputation, which had carefully stated the urgent'needs of the district, "I quite recognise that ' theso are real necessities for the ad-, vancement of your part of the coutnry, and I t am quite prepared to see that you get them; but if I am going to givo jou these things, you must send in a man to support me and my policy, and not a man to oppose me I " That was the public tactics of the so-called Liberal leader, King Dick. Now, as it is a moral certainty that Mr. Massey will be. the only man with an adequate following to form a Ministry in the next Parliament, and as this i constituency is now faco to face with the: most important epoch of its existence, with respect to its future development, and well | being, it seems nothing short of sheer mad- j ness on the part of the community, and a j gross insult to Mr. Massey and his following, I to allow the general election to drift upon | us without raising a finger to assist ourselves, i or to support and do justice to as clean a! leader and Government as we have ever had in 1 New Zealand, or oven heard of, as being In existence anywhere else. It looks to me like i a case of moral cowardice, nothing short of! disgusting. Why should any Government care a fiiddle-strlng about the requirements of a district which gives a "walk over" to a stormy < petrel, or to the tail end of tho Veitch Party? Awake 1 Arise 1 Or bo forever fallen I.—l am, etc., J. O. TAYLOR. lepperto*t Nov. 10, 1919.