THE ATTEMPT TO BLACKEN THE OPPOSITION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13906, 3 December 1910, Page 9

THE ATTEMPT TO BLACKEN THE OPPOSITION.

STRIKING AND EFFECTIVE REPLIES. (SPECIAL TO "THE ir.ZSS."} WELLINGTON, December 2. A point that was overlooked when Mr T. E. Taylor was blaming tho Opposition and the Opposition Press in connection with the Black pamphlet, has since been noted. It is that in 11*03 .Mr Taylor himself took the chair at a meeting convened by Mr Victor liraund, who was advertised to make certain exposures concerning tho Colonial Bank and Sir Joseph Ward. At that meeting a bitter attack was mado upon the present Prime Minister. Sir Joseph Ward, in Parliament, referring to Mr Taylor's conduct, said: — "The hon. member for Christchurcb. City has referred to mc this afternoon on tho floor of the House. Why did ho proffer his services when no decent person in the City of Wellington who attended would preside over the meeting to which ho referred? Was it a mere accident? Does the hon. member think it was a proper action for a i brother member of Parliament to voluntarily offer to go to the platform : and nresklo over the meeting of a man who "lias attejnptcd to blackmail mc, and whom I 'have refused to pay to withhold his filthy foul implications. "At this meeting presided over by" Mr T. E. Taylor," says the "Dominion," "much of tho same matter published in tho Black pamphlet was used, and yet Mr Taylor to-day, without tho slightest justification, without a shadow of proof, dares to set himself up as a censor of the Press, and to cast aspersions when, for his connection -with a phase of this same matter, ho was himself soundly trounced by Sir Joseph Ward in 1905. What would Mr Taylor have said in the House on Wednesday morning last if it had been a member of the Opposition who had presided over that meeting? It is time that this political : postmer, ivith his arrogant assumption of superior virtues, was made to understand that there are some at least who are not prepared to accept him at his own valuation."