AN UNJUST ATTACK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 4

AN UNJUST ATTACK.

The party newspaper, like the party politician, can see no merit in " the other side," and in consequence both Ministerial and Opposition members often fail to receive justice at the hands of those holding antagonistic views. A regrettable illustration of partisan bias was given by our morning contemporary yesterday in the form of a violent attack on Mr. Massey and the members of the Opposition generally, based on the accusation that the opponents of the Government had unwarrantably delayod tho passage of

business during the present session. This complaint has become a stereotyped one with some Government organs, and, like many other charges of a similar nature, is made use of without consideration being- given to the actual facts. We regret to find that our contemporary should have placed itself in this position, and that, in its zealous regard for the interests of the Government, it has been led into the.indiscretion of misrepresenting its opponents.* It is quite inaccurate to say that the Opposition have wasted the time of Parliament during the present ses- | sion. Whatever their shortcomings may be —and we do not blind ourselves to such weaknesses, as they and other members possess— they certainly cannot be accused by any just critic of talking too much. The case our contemporary chooses to prove its charge— the protest made against tlife Native Lands Bill being laid aside for the session—is singularly unfortunate, for no reasonable person can question the need for that particular measure being pressed on with all possible despatch. The protest made was not only a perfectly proper one, but the Opposition would have failed in their plain duty had they not made it. It is comforting to think that these party catch-cries and hackneyed inaccuracies are, as a rule, taken by the public at their true valub.