THE MASSEY-TAYLOR INCIDENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1195, 2 August 1911, Page 4

THE MASSEY-TAYLOR INCIDENT.

We are not in a position to say whether Mr. Massey is to be commended most for his generosity, or for . his sense of justice, in the manner in which he closed last evening what has been known as the MasseyTaylor incident. Wc do know, however, that. there arc very few men in Parliament to-day who would have had the courage to carry through as Mi). Massey did the voluntary task of clearing the memory of a departed political opponent in the thorough and whole-hearted manner of the Leader of the Opposition. The incident had, to all intents and purposes, closed with the death of Mk. Taylor. But Mr. Massey, to use the words of a bygone statesman, "docs not war with the dead." He had placed on record in Hansard last session a statement which Mr. Taylor had challenged, and the incident might have developed into serious dimensions or it might equally have proved of no importance at all. But as left at the time of Mk. Taylor's death it stood on record as a reflection on his memory.'..Mit.' Massey has removed that reflection in a fashion that does him credit, lie has not spared himself at all—he has not troubled to qualify or to explain his own action last session—he has simply said that which he apparently, felt the circumstances called on him to say in order to clear beyond all question the memory of his late antagonist in this matter. He might havo said a great deal in justification of his own actions throughout, but ho contented himself with clearing his opponent and the rellection cast on him' in the heat of a bitter debate Mr. Massey's worst enemy is not likely to accuse him of lack of courage, but wo do not think he has ever displayed a higher or a finer courage than when last evening, regardless of the manner in which his attitude might be twisted and distorted to serve the ends of his political opponents, he frankly and unreservedly withdrew the statement he had used, concerning Me. Taylor and expressed his,regret.at having used it. His action may not have been altogether advisable from the point of view of party tactics—it may be said that he was not called on to do anything further at all—but party tactics are not everything in public life and the bulk of the public, we have no doubt, will realise that he has done what he honestly deemed to be the right thing and has done it in a manner deserving of their admiration and respect