MR G. J. SMITH, M.H.R.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9522, 15 September 1896, Page 3

MR G. J. SMITH, M.H.R.

TO THE EDITOR OF TJIK -111-33. Sir, —It was with pleasure I read a letier in your issue of Saturday, discussing Mr G. J. Smith's claims lo tlie Opposition votes in Christchurch. Whether this wavering young politician has any claim on Opposition support iv this constituency can best be determined by reference to the singularly weak speech he delivered on the recent noconfidence debate, when he seems to have spoken on both sides aud voted on neither. Here is some of his language :—" I do not endorse all the actions of the present Government. I consider some of their actions deserving of tlie gravest censure. But while I say that I distinctly decline to be put in the position of putting the Opposition in power." Though Mr .Seddon and his followers are deserving of the '* gravest censure," yet Mr Smith walked out ot the House rather than support a motion censuring them. And again " I feel pretl/ coiifid-.nl that the Opposition will come back stronger than they are at present, not because of the merits of their cause, but because of the ill-advised actions of the Government, and the way in which they have in their administrative capacity misruled tbe country." While tlie Government have '* misruled the country," and are "deserving of the gravest censure," Mr G. J. Smith could not vote against them, lest the Opposition would return to power. Tlie above extracts, taken with tho fact that Mr G. J. Smith is announced to contest Christchurch, associated with the red-hot Socialist and Radical Mr T. K. Taylor, shows pretty clearly what Oppositionists and those who believe in capable and honest administration of our public atl'airs have to expect from left-wing Liberal Independents of the type of Mr G. J. Smith. He owed his position on the poll on the last occasion- to the party whom he has taken such pains to declare lie will not support, even if the result is to keep in pover a Government which, according to his own ad-

mission, are misruling the country, and have deserved "the gravest censure." The Oppositionists in Christchurch can reodily find better men than he to represent them. If Mr Smith thinks the Opposition has no "merits" the Opposition will show him on next election day that his "m..its" are not sufficient to induce them to give him the chance to scoff at them a second time. — Yours, &c, An Oppositionist.