THE RED HERRING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10130, 2 December 1910, Page 4

THE RED HERRING.

It has been left to the astute and learned, though sornetiines'hypercritical Dr Findlay, to draw the herring across the scent of the Hine charges. In a speech which would have done credit to a Simon Pure, the Attor-ney-General almost wept tears yesterday as he deplored the decadence of public life and the introduction of the personal element into Parliamentary discussions. He endeavoured, witii a sho-.v cJ virtuous indignation, to demonstrate fliat Mr Hine and the whole of the Opposition party had laid themselves oui> to defame and blacken the reputation of the late Mr Seddcn. At tha very moment that Parliament is vindicating Mr Hine by censuring a member for impropriety, and when legislation lis promised to prevent further imI proprieties, it is thought necessary to enlist public: sympathy by _ introducing a side issue and drawing a herring across the scent. Not even the calculated verbiage of a special pleader can, however, divert public attention from the main issue. Mr Hine has let the light of day in upon one or two only of the shady transactions which are going on in the name of politics. The AttorneyGeneral, instead of imputing motives and reading homilies on public purity, would have been better serving the interests of his party -and the country,as a whole by endeavouring to purify the realm of politics of that professional taint which is causing it to stink in the nostrils of ■decent-living people.