POLITICAL ETIQUETTE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1042, 3 February 1911, Page 4

POLITICAL ETIQUETTE.

■ • PREMIER'S VISIT TO FRANKLIN.' !By Tclesraph.-Spocial CorrosDondent) Auckland, February 3. While the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) has been travelling through the Iranklm electorate during the past, two days,.Mr.. W. F. Massey, member for the district, and Leader of the Opposition, luis been away on.a northern tonr. Reference to this fact was made by ; the Prime Minister when replying to a wel- ■ como accorded him at Tuakau to-day. Sir Joseph Ward said ho was exceedingly sorry Mr. Massey was not there, and hewanted to make it quite clear it was not his fault, ami it was not Mr.' Massey's.' After his (Sir Joseph Ward's) arrival at Onehunga on Saturday, and as soon as he know the arrangements made in connection with his visit to the franklin electorate, he wired Mr. Massey as follows:— "I am visiting your electorate Tuesday next, and hoped to have had the pleasure of your company, but am sorry to hear, that you are away from home. I will call at Glevedon and Hunua during the morning, and Patumaheo and Waiuku during the afternoon, reaching Pukekohe ill the evening, where in response to in--vitation I will speak. In view of. your absence I do not propose to' receive any deputations unless there are any youdesire to have arranged." Jlr. Massey. had made his arrangements, and could' notbreak them, cor could he (Sir Joseph l Ward) break his. He always made a> practice-of informing the member'for the> district when visiting his territory. He had a. right to go before the people in, any electorate, and any man had a right to go to Awarua. and address,his (Sir Jorcph Ward's) constituents if he desired, nor would he complain at thatbeing done. . \ The following telegram was yesterday dispatched by the Prime Minister to Mr. , Massjy in reoly to one received from him:—"l arrived at Onehunga on Saturday morning last, and as toon as I was advised and completed the arrangements in connection with my visit to your electorate, I telegraphed to you on" Saturday afternoon, informing you of the mature of. my trip. I could not do so earlier, and, as stated in my previous telegram, I.was exceedingly sorry to learn that you were absent from home, and that I would not have the pleasure of your company. Regarding your visit to Awarua, I shall be delighted should you go there, whether I have the pleasure of being with you or not. ' Kia-ora."