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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 243, 17 November 1914, Page 6

The Christchureh Liberal big guns opened the political battle last evening with a particularly violent fusillade against the Government entrenchments. The result was a great thundering,. but there are no indications that the enemy has yet begun to leave his trenches in panic, Mr Russell spoke at North Linwood last evening to a large audience, and made a brave effort to convince his hearers that the Massey Government had proyedutterly, unworthy of its trust, and generally had committed all the sins in the political calendar. For instance: "For one thing (the reference was to the failures of the Government* to , v fulfil its' election pledges) the finances .of"'the' country were going headlong to ruin." .Mt' f Russell proceeded to quote figures in support of his alarmist allegation, but tie is notoriously weak in political finance, and for those of his audience who are similarly situated mere figures can mean nothing. There is far too much confusing arithmetic used in these electioneering controversies. Figures manipulated may be made to prove anything to-day and the contrary tomorrow; what the public allegedly hankers after is facts. The electors of New Zealand are entitled to be provided with definite evidence . of the superior governmental capacity of the Liberals before committing themselves to a change of administrators, and all the abuse in the world, even if founded on fact, will not convince the thinking section to this end if it is not accompanied by some proofs that the "Outs" jean and will do better than the "Ins." One way of doing this would be for such a Liberal henchman as Mr Russell to contrast the two policies, Opposition and Government, and present his evidence to the .-electoral jury. Why not, for a change, boost the new Liberal policy 1 After two years of incubation it should be worth enthusiastic commendation by the party.