A TRIUMPH FOR MR MASSEY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12731, 18 February 1907, Page 6

A TRIUMPH FOR MR MASSEY.

Tlie fact that no fewer than 2500 people were present at a complimentary garden party tendered to Mr Masßpy, M.H.R., at Pukekoheon Saturday must lie taken as a strong testimony to the pen-onal popularity of the Opposition leader as well ns a proof of sympathy ih that district with Opposition principles. Mr Massey, judging by the brief report of hir, speech to band, eeems to have been in excellent form. Ho was on firm ground in urging that a proposal which involved the nationalising of tho seventeen millions of kneed and un leased Crown lands and tho making of it impossible for the tenants <>r their eucecFwrrs at all times to acquire tho freehold, should not be passed' until tho electors had been consulted. The Land Bill is certainly a question upon which the opinion of the oountry should be taken before it is allowed to become law. Mr Massey was also quite righit in pointing out that those who believe in tho freehold must be up and doing; otherwise they will certainly bo outgenoralled by the other side, who are steadily working all the time. Many important questions havo been decided in this colony in a manner repugnant to the wielws of the majority, simply on .account of the "vis inertias" which makes «so many people indisposed to tako tho trouble to master an important measure and still more indisposed to take the trouble to oppose it. In tihis case those most vitally interested havo ampdo notice of tho nature of the Bill, and it is to be hoped they wiTl not allow it to be carried in defiance of their own wishes in the matter.