Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 279, 23 November 1921, Page 9

(To the Editor.) Sir, —"Mercutio," in the "New Zealand Herald/ comments on the objection the Liberals made on the decision of Mr. JEassey to retain the portfolio of Finance. Quoting some instances in which the two offices were held by the Premiers of the time, he finally tells us that we do not know the history of our own party. Oh yes we do, and here is some of it: —We know for instance that our party did not maintain themselves in power by broken promises. We further know that our leaders never assumed the role of dictator as Mr. Mas-

eey does. We further know that when the Tories had brought the country to the brink of ruin the Whigs had to come to the rescue. We further know that every New Zealander (even the Tories) was as proud of his country as the Romans of old were of theirs. Why*? Because we felt that our party was leading the world in sound and beneficent legislation which the world imitated. I have not heard of any of Reform's laws meeting with the same success, because they are hopelessly mediocre. We ' further know that from the day the farmer was rescued from the extortionate demands of the moneylenders by the cheap Advances to Settlers Act, New Zealand forged ahead and became wealthy, but the farmers forgot that little incident. We also -Know that from the moment Liberalism came to the rescue the worker ceased to be a wage slave. They, too, have forgotten that little incident, and, further, have not yet realised that the Tories only in so far legislate in favour of the masses as not to wipe them out entirely, because I the source of their wealth would also I disappear. Now Zealand aches under the yoke of two extremists, the Tory and the Labourite. Roth would go to any length of selfishness as long as it benefits their own side, the Labour party even worse than the Tories, if they were in poweT: they have shown that during the coal famine. The Liberals have given proof of being capable of legislating for all New Zealanders, not a mere section. Finally, we are not ashamed of our name, Whig or Liberal,

we don't care which, but the Tories were ashamed of theirs long before they reached office: they dubbed themselves Reformers —of what? They knew that the word Tory always carried a suspicion of oppression with it with the majority of mankind, hence the change of As a rule the mental horizon of a Tory is limited. Mr. Massey is an exception. He knew full weil that he could only Iceep the position he held, not by a fair deal, but only by repealing the Second Ballot Act. The Liberals do not expect him to introduce any measure in its place, as it would only mean signing his warrant and political extinction. I am, etc., FACTS.