THE PREMIER "BLUFF.NC."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10476, 13 November 1911, Page 4

THE PREMIER "BLUFF.NC."

The Prime Mdnister of New Zealand . becomes more desperate as the date | for the polls* approaches!, He must j really be suffering from a form of ' ■mental abeirration. Hjis speech at' Wiiiiton. was so full of absurdities that people could not read it without a laugh. Now- he (goes, to the j Bluff—a vea'ylappa-o.priate spot, to bei sure—and a tirade of abuse at. /the Opposition for having failed to proclaim the virtues of his defence scheme from the htouse-ftopß. The utter absurdity of this (proposition cannot but create feelings of sytmpatlily for one who appears to, be distracted at tlve prospects of defeat. It is. no part of the fmnctibin, of the Opposition to acclaim, any measure passed by a Government in which they have no confidence. At the same time, M<r Massey and his supporters, have, on all occasions, admitted the wisdom of the defence scheme. But what of the Ministerial candidates? In some cases they have deliberately stated tliat fthiescheme of compulsory training is ..wlroing. Jn others, tihey have remained discreetly silent. Why should the Premier ask the Opposition to do w/hat hks own, supporters either refuse or neglect to do? Sir Joseph, Ward hasi taken to himself the oredfit flbr -the' scheme; Lett ham take also the brunt of the carirtacism, from whatever quarter it may come. The Plremder's' ''bluff" albout the Dreadnbugjhlt offer omly serves to demonsfcrate has amazing belief in the areduiity of the piMi'c. Tie (States that Be could not wait until Parliament assembled before making the •offer. Of ootia' l se Ihe could noit. Bait wihy did he not aomisult the represemtafid.ves of the people. across the wires? /WQiy dlid he ,comimiunicate tonly with the editors of newspapers? Wlhy did he treat Parliament wlith contempt? He knew when he made the offer that Plarfiament (itfould'feel bound to endorse it. But, df' ItJhiat offer iwere made to-day, and shere *wa,s nothing more tto support v!.t than the imagination of the Plrepvier, the .representatives, of (the people would be very reluctant in vot,ing away two millions of the jKople'is. (n.-lcney in ..the way they did a coiuple of years ago.