THE FAILURE OF REFORM

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 76, 29 March 1924, Page 14

THE FAILURE OF REFORM

(To the Editor.) Sir.—lt has been suggested that Mr. Massey, Sir Francis Bell, Sir Joseph Ward," Sir T. Mackenzie and others should retire because of their age. 1 hog to protest against the '"age test" being applied to any trade or calling. lived to see may not affect the capacity of a man to carry out his duties. Some men are practically imbeciles at l>o years of age, while others are intellectual giants to the end of their days, although the heart may not have the strength to pump the necessary blood to the brain that an intellectual thinking person requires to keep him goinp;. If your correspondent can see no "failure in Heform" other than that its numbers are

"growing old," it does not say much for the intelligence and ability of the people who have been so man} , years on the Opposition benches. I would suggest that old men get special consideration in Parliament, and that nothing should be legal if it was done between 10.45 p.m. and 9.45 a.m. This would practically do away with the night shifts. Work done in proper hours would be well done because our members would be more "fit" to do honest work to benefit the people in place of planning and scheming to benefit their Jriends and the "class" they represent. The older he gets the more valuable a man may become to his country, and something we cannot afford to lose while he maintains his present vigour is Mr. Massey the "Reform Failure?"—l am, etc., A. SANFORD.