MR. MASSEY.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 118, 17 November 1908, Page 5

MR. MASSEY.

Thus a contemporary: — We showed the other day how that strong aaid traditionary Opposition and Conser-. vatiye paper the N.Z. Herald had to give up the Opposition as at present constituted, and its leader, as hopeless, and advise its readers to support the best man irrespective of party. Now the other Auckland paper, the Star, has had "too much Massey," and like' its contemporary: -decides to -"Push him through the window," as the only course to adopt with the man some people here would like to substitute for the Prime Minister. Says the Star: To lead an Opposition effectively against a strong party so long in possession- of the field aa the Liberals, a man in, Mr Massey's position should be something moro than a good-natured opportunist. The ideal leader of Opposition here should be either a, straight-out Conservative — an impeachment which Mr Massey would indignantly deny — or a Liberal even more "advanced" and "progressive" than the present leader of our Liboral party. But Mr Massey is neither one thing nor tho other. Starting as a thorough-going Conservative, ho has been gradually transformed by force of circumstances into a nondescript Liberal with a strong flavouring of Toryism and an occasional suspicion of Radicalism -thrown in when least expected. He seems to have forgotten most of his Conservative prepossessions except that ho is hopelessly prejudiced a-gainst anything that Government attempts to do till it has proved a success, in which he repudiates the responsibility of providing a definite programme for the Opposition or the country to follow, he is never tired of inveighing against Government for failing to produce a policy; though all his arguments show that Liberalism from his standpoint has far too much^ policy already. Frankly, we are disappointed in Mr Massey. Years ago we expected a great deal of him, but, politically, avo now regard him as a spent forco and a faihire..