The Prime Minister.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14987, 6 June 1914, Page 10

The Prime Minister.

Tho Prime Minister and all the friends of Reform have every reason to feel very pleased with the remarkable meeting in Victoria square last night. For some extraordinary reason, tho local agents of the anti-Reform factions have for somo time had an idea that Mr Massey has been afraid to address a public meeting in Christchurch. Mr, Massey may have his share of faults, like everybody else, but if thero is ono quality which ho possesses in a conspicuous degree, it is courage. His local onemies have always taken care to inflame the Opposition factions against him, and to incite them to disturb his meetings and howl him down. Ho has had experience of the success with which these people can organiso unmannerly and unsportsmanlike disorder, and ho had no reason to supposo that ho would this time be accorded the treatment which decent people always give to tho other side, and which, as a result, the "Liberal" orators can always bo sure of receiving. But if the idea was to intimidate tho Prime Minister, the idea was a very foolish one. It is very fortunate that his quick recovery from hi j cold, and tho oxcellont weather, enabled .him to carry out his wish to address a big crowd in the open air. The Opposition have, of course, the satisfaction of being ablo to record today that the rowdies organised by the disorder department of their party prevented the majority of -last night's

bit;; crowd from hearing very much of the vigorous and telling speech which will be read by a vastly greater crowd in the newspapers to-day. It is for our Opposition friends to decide whether the Ward branch or the Semple branch shall tako the responsibility for the rotrdincss. Thoy are welcome to any claim they may make that the disturbers of the meeting represent iKo only public opinion that matters. The general public will form its own opinion of tho party which caters for the support of tho obviously dwindling rowdy minority. "What Sir Joseph Ward stands for was excellently well advertised by his admirers last night.

The ovation accorded to the Prime Minister at the conclusion of his speech was the really significant event of tho oveniug, and we do not hesitate to say that the cause of Reform in this province is substantially advanced by the speech and the circumstances attending

it. Apart altogether .from tho deeper disfavour into which the tactics of tho rowdies will bring tho cause of the Wardist-Red Fed. alliance, tho Opposition must suffer from tho powerful case which Mr Massey presented to his audience. He broke littlo now ground, but, no doubt largely owing to the stimulating effect of tho silly rowdies, thero was uncommon sling, force, and precision in his reply to his critics, and iv his defence of his legislation and administration. His unanswerable indict—en', of the muddlo of "'Liberal' 1 finance which ho had to clear up, and did clear up.. and his clear and vigorous discussion of naval policy will perhaps appeal most strongly to those who aro very keenly political. But there was a wider appeal in his references lo the strike. His defence of his Government's unshrink-

ing resolution m tho nation's interest* during that critical period was not the defeaco of ono who must put a good face on things done. Everyone knows that Mr Massey is justifiably proud ot

bis Government's action and that that action would bo repeated to-morrow if necessary. To most people, however, what will be most impressive is tbo Prime .Minister's proof of tbo sound, unselfish, equitable, and democratic character of his legislative and administrative policy. Wo shall take another opportunity to discuss tho leading points of as good a political speech as lias been delivered :n Christcburch for many a year. In the meantime Mr Massey is to be congratulated, no less upon the revelation by the Opposition of the true character of its constituents, than upon the enthusiasm for himself and for his Government which now exists in this district.