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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 112, 17 June 1914, Page 6

= Mr -T. M. . !Wilford, the Vlattj. is so , ynconventional wlioli.ev pleading a cause in the eouit -!>r fighting a political opponent, he i-. assured of an excellent hearing. After a lengthy experience of politics of a varied character he has come to the conclusion that to be. ; serious - is: tyK;be> Classed..with the mediocrities ai),(J ;1 80 bp by the multitude. He is an assiduous, investigator , after<> j, catch |)hrases , calculated to, tickle. ; ;the:,. of • tihpse ejectors • who , attend •. political iheetings to be entertained—theproeesa of enlightenment is, for .them,; !■. too. sievere a mental strain. It can be said with truth of the member for ljujtt that the success he has accumulated as the result of these methods, has brought him much popularity. These characteristics were well evidenced at his meeting in the Choral Hall last evening. He amused a large section'of his audience by stories which' were intended show up in a hard white light the ineptitude and incapacity of the Reform administration.' Incidentally, Mr Wilford, Tfrho, as an old fully to the necessity;Jfoy paving, oiie's self a brilliant tacticianjwhoxiras made what he' hims.elf, Tjfdulct iem $ < < hoiy show' 3 ,9f . an embarrassed ■, and

•loomed Government—incidentally, the member for Ilutt recounted little political adventures which demonstrated just what a clever 'fellow Mr Wilford could be when it came to an exchange of repartee or : strategy. This is one of 1 his strong points. His little flippancies j in court or in the House arc the result j of a desire, not to contribute any useful argument to the point at issue, but simply to cause a rustic among the spectators. Under the circumstances it would serve no useful purpose to discuss Mr Wilford's politics. That he should feel called upon to reply to -the Prime Minister is an example of the length'to which this desire to be considered humorous Can carry him. His eagle eye has discovered the inherent and fatal weakness-of the Massey Administration, aiid hie'agrees with Messrs Russell, Isitt, and Atmore, that its doom approaches swiftly. Inter alia, Mr Wilford rfeminded'his heareTs that he could, have settled the strike inuch more expeditiously than did Mr Massey—Sir Joseph Ward has a similar story. After all, it is clear that the member for Hutt plays a tune more acceptable to ' careful observers and more permanently j advantageous to himself when he keeps j his foot on the soft pedal. I