REFORM TACTICS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9024, 2 November 1925, Page 5

REFORM TACTICS

(To the Editor J Sir,—You quote iu support of ; your latest attack ou Mr Coulter the false statements of another Reform journal. As a newspaper Editor you know that unfortunately J there are some dishonourable journalists who seek to damn honourI able men with, unscrupulous misrepresentations of their statements. J One would think that a fair-mind- :, ed journalist would regard it as \ his duty to depend upon his own I personal knowledge and the reports published in his paper of a political candidate's statements before he arrived at any ground of attack which he may sec fit to launch in his own paper. With a disregard for far play and the best traditions of journalsm you base your latest attack on Mr Coulter on the [ distorted statements of a man who J was engaged for the purpose of ; glorifyng Reform and destroying I Liberalism. You,, Mr Editor, I have arrived at a very queer posi- ; 1 ion. when you depart from your [ past political teaching, and use mistatements uf another man by which to damage the political reputation and injure the prospects of a lifetime Liberal. Your own reports of Mr Coulter's Town Hall speech and speeches m other parts of this electorate entirely disprove the statements published in Saturday's leader concerning Mr Coulter's attitude to Reform and its leader Mr Coates. Mr Coulter, with his characteristic honesty, has frequently stated that while ho feels it his duty iu the interests of New Zealand to oppose the present Reform Party and would assist in voting it out of office (if returned at the coming poll), yet ho would support Mr Coates if he would become the leader of a new progressive and democratic paify whiclr wcAl act in the interest*of N~w Zealand generally—no. merely of the banks and big commercial interests, who, under the present administration, are exploiting the greater body of the people of tills Dominion. Because the Reform Party know that Mr j Macmillan is being opposed by an i! abler and more capable has gained support in a most gratifying manner thro\ghoi<t l he constituency, it is a pity for them to depart from the standard of IJrlish fair play.—l am, etc., J. S. THOMPSON. Otumoetai. Nov 2nd., 1925.