The Press Wednesday, July 11, 1923. Eleven Years of Office.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17812, 11 July 1923, Page 8

The Press Wednesday, July 11, 1923. Eleven Years of Office.

Mr Massey completed yesterday the eleventh year of Iris tenure of the office of Prime Minister. His position iB a notable one in two respects. He has held the office continuously for a longer period than any of his predecessor with the exception of Mr Beddon, whose Premiership lasted for just over thirteen years. And of all the leaders of the governments of the world in 1914, Mr Massey alone remains in his place. He is the sole survivor ; and he is as safe as at any time in his career, as his opponents are sadly realising. The Reformers in the House are not a majority, hut there is in the House a majority of members elected to support the Prime Minister against the Liberal-Red Fed. combination which has again and again endeavoured, and always in vain, to effecfc a change of Government. It is obviously not a mere accident that Mr Massey haa weathered the storms of political life, under exactly the tame electoral conditions as existed throughout the long reign of Mr Seddon, for a term nearly as long as the term of that remarkable Liberal leader. He haa kept hia place despite the maintenance of a desperate and often unscrupulous campaign of detraction, despite the unwearying persistence with which, day by day for eleven years, he has been abused and traduced by those who for twenty years had the ear of the public as the "friends of the people." Learned in the art of keeping the people faithful to the Liberal Party for two deoades, the spokesmen and scribes of that Party have failed to overthrow Mr Massey. Perhaps their enchantments have failed them; perhaps the intelligence of the Party's present-day advocates is very much less than the intelligence of those who went before them. This may well be the case; but wo believe that Air Massey has remained in office because the public believes in him and finds him quite adequate for the needs of the time. He has made, mistakes, and no doubt will make more. He has his limitations. But the public knows him for an upright and progressive leader, and the Reform Party for an honest and progressive party. The oountry haa flourished since 1912, and h'as enjoyed just and honest government. Whether Mr Massey's term of office will surpass that of Mr Seddon without an appeal to the country, cannot certainly be foretold. That will depend upon the attitude of the attenuated Liberal Party, which can obstruct business very easily in combination with the Redß. But if Mr Massey should decide to obtain a dissolution before the present Parliament runs its full course, it is certain that he will remain Prim© Minister.