GENERAL ELECTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8244, 9 December 1911, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTION.

REPLY TO MR MASSEY. . A HOPEFUL VIEW. Sir Joseph Ward, who was in the best of health and spirits, when asked 1 by a reporter, on arrival at the I Ashburton station to-day, if he, cared to say anything regarding the statement made by the leader of the Opposition in the "Press" this morning, cheerily responded. He said there was no reason whatever for the Liberal Party to be other than hopeful as to the . results of the second : ballots throughout the country., He had. examined the records of the voting, and found that in the electorates where the second ballot trials wei'e to take place that the Opposition had scored 45,182 votes less than the candidates who were opposed to themy and it remains to be seen whether, that large number of electors at the second ballot are going to help the Opposition Party to cdme into power, felt was, in his opinion, unlikely, -as such a combination • represented by' the votes at the second ballot would be unnatural. He believed the people, now that they have realised the possibility of being j put under Conservative rule, would be roused to the danger that faced them. > \ " Though Mr Massey may find 'pleasure in calling ihe Liberal Party names in the statement he has made to the Press this morning, the fact remains," said Sir Joseph, '/that our' party has placed some of the finest, legislation, in the world on the Statute Book of immense benefit to the people of New, Zealand, and of enormous advantage •to the workers, the farmers, thej traders, and to the women and young children. Besides, there is'*-the magnificent work, as. it undoubtedly is, of placing 150,000 persons on the land, and the incalculable benefits of the financial aid granted to; f&rmefs and workers and local, bodies; and, though we may be called extravagant by the leader of the Opposition,''there are today many thousands of happy homes that did not exist prior to our policy being adopted and vigorously prosecuted. The record was one that any party'had every reason to be proud of. The sham record and spuriousness was not on the side of the Government, but was to be. found on the side of the Opposition that had strenuously opposed some of the most valuable legislation on the Statute Book, and who were to-day, as ever, ' wolves in sheep's clothing,' and were already .^crying before they were out of the wood.' He was quite ready, as he had always been, to trust the people, and would cheerfully abide by their decision next Thursday."