The Press. MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 26, 1912, THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14288, 26 February 1912, Page 6

The Press. MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 26, 1912, THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

We shall not. of course, attempt to prejudge the finding of the Privilege Committee which has been set up to enquire into the writing and publication of the letter read by Mr Massey in recounting the conversation between Mr Payne and himself, and also tho statement by Mr Payne to the House to the effect "that one McMastera, of " Auckland, had been authorised to give " him a sum of anything between £500 "and £1000 if he would go in the "direction of the Ward party." A good deal has been said, however, as to whether a ''tactical mistake" was made by Mr Massey in reading the letter referred to, and the probable effect upon tho division on the pending no-confi-dence motion. On this point we are entitled lo say something. Facts which are not disputed are that Mr Payne told Mr Massey and Mr Dickson that he had been offered £500 or £1000 to vote with the Ward Government. Mr Payne himself, rossibly through ignorance as a young member, took no steps to bring before Parliament this amazing breach of privilege, as it certainly was if the facts are as he has himself detailed thcm'in the House. Mr Dickson thereupon conceived it his duty to state to the Ho\iso what had occurred, and Mr Massey confirmed his account as to what had taken place. The Leader of the Opposition, however, went further, and as he had read to Mr Payne a letter he had received, he regarded it as his duty in repeating the conversation to the House to repeat the whole ef it, including the letter in question. This may hare been a "tactical mistake," and if so, the Government are certainly making tho most of it. Among many fine qualifications which make Mr Massoy such an admirable leader, ho is, however, totally deficient in political subtlety and finesse. He has not acquired tho fino art of judicious suppression. A plain, blunt man, he usually speaks out what is on his mmd, especially if ho thinks wrong is boing perpetrated, and ho does not stop to consider whether his action is likely'to have a good or bad effect from a tactical point of view. In this instance he was challenged by Mr Payno to repeat the whole of tho conversation, and ho did so.

The Government, who have been doing .everything in their power to put off tho no-confidence division aro, of course, exploiting this apparently to the full, and what has occurred is being used to influence certain members pledged to voto against Sir Joseph Ward to turn rotmd and vote in hie favour. There ie not, in what has happened, an atom of excuse for any member to break his word to , his constituente. If any such member really wanted to break his word, and desired to put forward somo colourable excuse, of course ho could uee this as Mr Payne used the articles in tho "Dominion," but it would not afford tho slightest real justification in the opinion of any straightforward, honourable- man whose own word is Ilia bond, and who sees no reason why politicians should adopt a difierenib code- of morals. "When the people return a member pledged to turn out a Government, they expect him to do it, and if the Leader of the Opposition were to mako a dozen •''tactical" mistakes it would afford no just reason for the member referred to falsifying hia promisee and his professions. Wo admit that after ho has fulfilled ,Ins pledge and holped to turn out tho Government, then ho will bo free if ho likes to say that what has happened lias convinced him that Mr Massey is not a,good tactical loader, and thoreioro he declines to support him. As tho "Evening Post" very properly points out, however, the issue which members were summoned to consider was a very simple one: "la thp Ward Government! "or is it not to remain in Office P" The question ns to who is to succeed it will corno afterwards. The attempts which have been made to obscure this Usuo and to put off a decision in tho hope that certain members might bo induced to forswear themselves and betray their constituents is a standing discredit to thoso concerned.