CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1922, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE STRATFORD SEAT. (To the Editor.) i Sir,—The decision of the Reform Party te I run Mr. Hine in the party’s interests at tha next election is giving great satisfaction in on< quarter a't least—namely, the Liberal camp. I do not profess to enjoy the confidence of MrMasters in this matter, but if the choice of an opponent had been left to him Mr. Hine would no doubt have been the gentleman selected. For the first time during Ills political career, Mr. Hine at the last election found himself up against a man who not only carried a punch, but knew how to use it, and Mr. Hine did what many good judges asserted he would do if ever he met a man who could deliver the goods—he took the count. But it is evident that the Reformers still have faith in the muck-rake methods, for already they are using the same old propaganda matter which did service at the last election. In thia they display a deplorable lack of originality. One never hears any criticism of Mr. Masters* actions in the House or of his efficiency as a member generally from these people, and when this is pointed out to them they say: “Oh, well, no ; but we have voted Tory so long now that we pride ourselves upon our consistency!* 1 If you should happen to mention that one Idea lasts some people a long while, they become annoyed. The Stratford seat was not won jt the last election because of any organising done during Mr. Hine’s absence at the Front. It was won because the mental dynamite of Mr. Masters created such havoc amongst the saw-dust-crammed craniums of the political relics of the Stone Age which make up the party of Reform, that in an endeavor to hide their discomfiture these gentlemen stood on the mountain of Bunkum, waved the flag of flapdoodle, and then disappeared in a haze of Innuendo. I am, etc., -yECTATOW Stratford. Aug. &&