MR. MASSEY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1301, 2 December 1911, Page 19

MR. MASSEY.

SUCCESSFUL TOUlt OF EIS ELK& TOItATJJ. A, most cordial reception has been tendered to Mr. W. F. Massey in overy part Vjf tho Franklin district which he has visited. At present ho is engaged on 'a tour of tho uioro remote portions of tho electorate, and tho uso of a mutov-eur • has enabled him to travcrso a wide area, though travelling is handicapped by ho, very rough condition of the roads, due to tho recent heavy rains. The meeting addressed bv the header of the Opposition at Wafuku oil Monday evening was the largest ami most enthusiastic political rally over held in the town, and Mr. Ma«<w took advantage of tho opportunity to deliver one of tho most vigorous ami elfeetivo speeches of his campaign.yesterday 'morning «ho motored to Hum;* Valley, and met a number ot tho settlers in tho Seddou Memorial Hall. In tho afternoon ho delivered an address to a meeting at Ness Valley, and last evening spoko again before a largo amlienco «f. Clcvedon. During tho next few days tho Leader of tho Opposition will bo engaged in the party's campaign in the l araeM, Grev Lynn, Taumaruuul, and.Hailemata electorates, but ho _ will probably visit his own district again before polling day.

In a letter which wo publish this moraw (i#ys Ihe "Otago Daily 'Jimw ot November 2S) Mr. J. J. Kamsay pus to us what he describes as a "pertinent query with regard to tho piymeiit oi over A3U911 M honorarium to I'm Ohiet .lustice or his services as a member of tho I\ulnn Land Commission while ho was also :n - receipt of tho salary attached to his judicial office. ."W as not tho Ojiposil o i bv its silonco in Parliament, Jlr. iuimsay a-sks, •''particeps criminis, in respect of this payment.' ihe inquin la distinctly opportune, because it enables us to show that the Opposition took ilio earliest opportunity that was presented to it of recording its protest against the payment . . • The first opportunity that was presented to Parliament of protesting acain«t tho payment of tins honorarium, on the ground that tho payment was unconstitutional and calculated to impair the feeling of public confidence in Uio indepeudenco of the Ilench, occurred when tho House entered upon the consideration of tho Estimates in'l9oo, and Mr. l-.it.her proposed n reduction of the very first item "as an indication that what was a con- : stitutional principle should not be al owed to ho violated by any Executive, ihw ; was lost by thirty votes to twenty-three, . exclusive of pctiis. • • • i'ciKJOrS,. it perfectly clear not only that the Opposition was not "paxtieeps criminis," but also that its protest was recorded a I tho earliest possible nioipent at which it. could legitimately raiso its objection to the payment.

It lias Wren twenty years of cxwi. mcnting with various .wars oj lewoho!', tenures and millions of money, lo pvu" tlio futility of any land system basts! 1 land nationalist ideas. In 1011 tlie Wim" Government has got bad; in priimiiilt where Mr. Rolleston was a quarter.-, century ago, ljut with this diffcreythat while even the Wnrd Govern" • ; predecessor, the Setldon Adminisii-.v ;. had the power mid the strength oi impose to put ft bad lnnd system intooji -. ution, tho Ward Government tacks courage and ability to put any syitom.ii,',' operation at all. Finally, the alternate-, to a Kcform Ministry is another this*, years' opportunism ntid extravagance lik< tho last; and that in -itself is not only a reason why the Reform party should win tho election, but v.'iiy it must will.— .."•Clrristehureli Pros,"