POLITICAL PLEDGES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 132, 27 February 1908, Page 8

POLITICAL PLEDGES.

MR. T. MACKENZIE AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

HIS POSITION EXPLAINED.

PARTIES AND PRINCIPLES. (BY TELEGRAPH —-SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) ' . Waikouaiti, (February 26. 'Mr. Thomas Mackenzie, M.P., addressed about '200 constituents- in Waikouaiti - tonight.. The Mayor of Hawkesbury presided, and explained that, as their member had causod a stir ill tho political world, he would justify his action. Ho was going to support tho Government, but ho would be no " dumb dog." Mr. Mackenzid was accorded a hearty reception., -;Aftor. referring to the death of several prominent sottlera since his last; speech,, Mr. Mackenzio proceeded to traverso the 1 ' indictment that he had been false to his political pledges and a recreant to his trust. If his constituents endorsed tho charge ho would bow to their decision, arid - would not toy-with any political legerdemain to talk fchem.'out of their votes.

TWO QUESTIONS. He-would'crystallise tho position by asking

' vfcwo (juestaons:— ' : » .. (1) Was ho by-his election pledges free to; \ - ■ announce that he would follow any Governv' • rocnt other than tho Seddon Government as , then constituted? -...-< .. , ■ . " (2) In making tbo announcement that he ".':--'-.-aid -on -Dominion .-Day. was he violating his „ . v -.principles or his obligations to ; his consti\tuenis?' '.- Mr. Mackenzio addressed himself at length. ;%o the answers to these questions, and in ' ■' - doing"so said:— I "During my candidature-in - 1905 the- question asked, me at several : meetings about my attitude towards the pre--1 ' sent '■ Administration. Tho'-reply I gave was, : .' I am prepared to support .a..vote-of want 'of "confidence in the as it -is now . 'constituted, leaving /myself entirely free to support l any good Ministry that ..might be formed, no matter how. composed;' • I claim- ,-. ; .: ithat I was free as far as they gave effect to my' opinions, to ;i support a reconstructed Ministry. : In regard to the-second question, ; was I, 'in making my announcement, violating :my political principles and - obligations ? 'Let me at once say that, that ■, declaration-involved nosuch departure on my t part. Politics with 7 mo are a creed, and not a profession. ■ My- political convictions...aro 'not-caught by conbagion ; but are tho result .of study.and practical-experience. ..They aro '' not- put" on ■ and off as- one l changes 'one's garments, neither-are they tattooed on. mo > " by someone else as is the motto of the Maori. i\Vhat;are'the leading political questions of- ' the day? Havo I not/ from time !to timo throughout- my politicah career- dealt with '" •' - them-with no uncertain voice? Aro they not ■ -. engraven on tho ■ records of Parliament and. understood by the people of Otago ?\ Have. V/VI not given my views -on -land .tenure,!, on • taxation; on finance; on commerce, on educa- ; : tion, and on representation and many other, : subjects? Who in this audience will dare ' - to: say ..thatV.'l havo '..departed from theso 1 principles? : ■

A CHALLENGE. . • , challenge anyono, to como on to this: - ' ■ platform' at the.' closo of - this meeting-and ; put ■ .'.'his 'finger oii' adeparture'from' th'e principles : 0 that have|!been espoused -by me for a lifetime. r:-^.'?rhold.ih; : .my.ha!nd'here my. public deliverances on most of,; the subjects I have alluded 1 to, and !'"■ I stand-by;these, subject, of/course, to such: ; modifications as' "time' and' experience . have • shown to .bo wise. It is claimed,' and rightly 1 too; that many of my views were on tho lines of the Opposition. Itsaw good on both, •••'. Bides,: and that with-some is. an'unpardonable offencft'^/Pha-re/!endeavoured.', to follow, wio ; good wherever it could/be found,' and likewise : ; to - oppose whatever I considered pernicious, ■: r .no:matfer from what' sido'it 'emanated. But /.: : if ( ' my j.view-s ' were on; ■' ■J : Opposit-ion-'lincs,:w'h'at 1 is.the-jsituation of the: . Government;y in .v"that r ,' connection'at .' this' . iroment? Sir Joseph Ward delivered his first ... C 'policy'statement,in.th6;'Budget of .1907, .and when that 'statement'; -was.'delivered - did '* / not-.the-' leading members of' ; the - Opposition /;..:: \ claim : that v'h'B.; had "'largely; emboiliea in. it that which they for-years had .heen advo- . eating?. It is believed'by/some'that. I must. have received substantial inducement to have '/.. made: the: ahnouncdment Theiiumour :'bf 'the situation is "almost. irresistible. : Let • v mo'here say/at once, distinctly and emphati:./,'cally, - that neither Minister,. nor. members, v- 'nor a single goul,'- insidd'-or' outside"of,' : Pai-, ; liamelit;-lias had anything - whatever -to do, with; the' course' I' have indicated.' I. had' .;X', ho., -.communication' .from . anyphe; 1 : and • have v : '. sent! 'no;.-' communication : 'to anyoiio,.. either. ' before .of/"after" the'; declaration 1 made. -I : : remember in .the olden : days -wlien'-Sir' G'eorgo tGroy used to 'sit 'diiiing' table >! :> with iis that lie told'me that when, lie framed the constitution ;.o.f this country he retired . away iilto "the /forest -primeval, at 'tbfe base of tho -Ruahine 'Range,'*and there/ thought-out' . V what :ho considered, best in .tho'interests of New Zealand/:./' ' i V THE POLITICAL- SITUATION. •'■'••''./:. "CompaVihg small things 1 ;; , ;may /say - that 'l, retired' .to the' quietness of ; my ; own /home, - ; waiiderihg on, .the ' x ; v,'ooded hills .behind'/Allah/Grange,';! thought v ''-'.ouffas. best: I' could: the: intricacies . of 'tha present political situation. On tho one hand .. I Saw a .band-of splendid .men called the : Op(4; :/.position,- '-and^' "styled by' some - the /Conscrva"p ,/tives: : ibf /;;6ouHtry, - earnestly"; devoting i " themselves 1 to forwarding, according'to _ their, .;... viows, .the' best. interests ;of the, /Dominion; ': 'I realised that iin'' : their, ranks there : wero ■:' meii); including the ; leader himself, ;who would .; go'/mtjcJi I \furtlier -than .some of 'their support- ;- ;' ers were; 'inclined 'to favour in tho direction of Liberalism.- Oil the other hand, I saw devploping :in this country ; a : party- of men, ; styling '.themselves/ Socialists, who, because i '.vof! the evils' 'existing'. communities,. were endeavouring to frame " legislation in ;■' this new country which, : if - givc,n . effect' to, . ... . could not have/any other, than a most disastrous effect on , every ilidustry :in community.' What, are . the expressions of somo 1 of their . leaders ?, x The ; Christchurch ■. Presi- - dent of 'tho .Political . Labour. League said ho .' was. opposed., to all shades -of Liberalisni, ■ and'would, go in for. straight-out/rpyolutidn-;:;ary.-Socialism.--'Again, iii':the, north, I .where , ■ ; - ih'ero, was;: a large gathering of representa- :, ti.vcs,, they carried ! ,a resolution :tp, the effect ; that they would support '.members of tho /" Opposition, rather:than tho Goyernment, not hecause. -thdy' / ,heiiev'ed in the ; Opposition', but • to : dispiace Liberal candidates with the hope - ' / that in /■ the.\succeddiiig election,, Socialist • candidates would be returned. • I realised ; ■'■■; 'that . the points; of difference;in;/many :re- ' v spects .wero not great/.between .many ! members. following the Goyernment and those the ..Opposition,' arid -that if-/,we ' / could •only, overconie .those, party bqiids wo ' . would -.hav'o ■ a 'body " of;mei.i who, whilst fols i lowing - sound (Liberal /principles, could 'tell •;,. those who had-espoused the cause of .revolutionary' Socialism,-/that they, could muster, their': strongest- numbers, and test their full ("powers ;■ but- we w;ould form a: solid body to oppose them, and.give effect to what .we believed yvere the' best principles that could be ..( : advocated for our land. ' : . THE PARTY LINE. . "It is there that; in rav opinion, tho party • -line should be drawn, and 1 feel persuaded that if you polled the full strength of your ; ' town revolutionaries, 25/ members would rc- - '■ present, their; full power. That would'leave 55 members free to develop the great in:dustries; of. this; country .on".common-sense '( ( • lines. For/my part;.'! am. for, progress'* and liberty, and with progress and liberty I de- ■ "sire, to"'scp our country, built up on solid and , pormanent lines.. I.: have given expression to mv views, on tile question of party ( and, principles, arid J 'may sumyup tho whole 'situation in these words:— ,(■ ':, •'For forms of Government that men con- (-■': : f tost - ■; ':. ( ('Whate'or, iis,best administered is best. ' ■ PERSONAL MATTERS. Mr. Mackenzie wont on to criticise Socialism as a Utopian, idea,/and to say a good word for the profit-sharing; system, following up these matters by a reference to some personal matters. - In this: connection he • mid-that' for his explorations, the work he

did. in connection with his home produce engagement, .his representing of Now Zealand at tho centennial celebrations ney, and this vjsit as Trade Commissioner to England and America in 1889, he never received a farthing from the-Government, and never' charged anything. Continuing, ho said':—... ' , x

" Another charge that T wish to reply to is made in one of the northern : papers, implying that I had devoted the 20 years of my political life to obtaining pelf and position. It is unnecessary for-mo'to say anything'to such a charge to an: Otago audience .boj%ml this, that. had .pelf been my desire, I may say- I left an appointment in England, to give tiie people here the benefit of . niy experience, which position j brought me a salary in excess of a Cabinet Minister's, and refused--another appointment a salary- in excess,- of that of the Prime Minister. While had position been the aim of my political life, there are few who will think,- considering there "are only two members in"-the' -House now who were there before I was elected, that that honour could riot have been within my reach before today." : ■. • OTHER MATTERS. . The speaker next,.devoted his remarks to current questions, such as defence, our relation to the Empire, the Eastern outlook, tourist traffic,' the land policy, agriculture, etc. : In-conclusion;'he advocated a national rather- than a party policy, arid closed with these words:; —.. "I plead with you to check the tendency to' Americanism.in' our political affairs. If personal- abuse goes beyond a certain point it will-expel from political life sensitive and honourable riien, arid-bring to the front those who Will, in the words, of the . northern' paper, devote their tipie to pelf and position. Burke defines a statesman as one who' has the ability- to conserve; and the disposition : to'improve., I hope that I may in some degree approach, that standard." Contrary to common expectation, the mem-' ber for .Waikonaiti was not heckled. In reply to a. question as to whether lie would offer himself at the next election as an Independent ;or a. Ministerialist, Mr. Mackenzie said ■if -the" Ministerial " programme suited him he would stand as'a Ministerialist. •It was resolved that the meeting heartily approve ofthe attitude he had taken up, and had full confidence in him as their representative.