Reform " Pledges."

Cromwell Argus, Volume XLIII, Issue 2338, 3 February 1913, Page 6

Reform " Pledges."

Tlio New Zealand Times does occasionally take notice of the Massey sayings 11 ill doings, even if only sarcastically. The Times of the l(sth insfc, takes leave to remark in a mild sort of way that Mr Massey told an inquisitive Dargaville reporter the other day that Ministers are " sticking to iheir pledges." That explains matters. Most people have been wondering what had happened to those numerous pledges made in preelection times wit'n such reckless abandon in the frantic attempts to catch votes. Now we know. Ministers are " sticking to them." That is why they have not redeemed the promise to reduce the cost of living. That is how we (ind anti-borrowers sending their Treasurer on a loanhunting mission abroad. That is how hole-and-corner methods prevail in the Public Service. That explains why (he "square deal " is such an elusive quantity ; why a system of departmental espionage has been established ; why Ministers are gadding about the country and having a wild orgy of banquets such as they condemned Liberals for countenancing. Instead of fulfilling their pledges, they are li sticking to them." Some day these same promises will become a nuisance to stick to, and there will be a clearing sale of unredeemed pledges There will be some novel lots to put up. The Minister lor Lawn Tennis and Customs, for example, has some unredeemed pledges concerning which there is much public curiosity and speculation. One of them is a pledge that he would never join a freehold Ministry.—'Grey River Argus.'