The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1915.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3873, 9 March 1915, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1915.

The evidence tendered at the inquiry in connection with the Northern Maori

A Lesson in Political Methods,

election throws an interesting light on the political methods of the main party which is opposed to the present Government. It is, of course, common knowledge that, at the general elections Mr Tan Henare, who had stood as an Independent, secured the largest quota of votes among quite a number of aspirants for the seat. There was, it might be remarked, a report, prior to the contest, that in strict fact Mr Henare had been disappointed in that lie had not been selected as the Government nominee, but ns to whether the suggestion had any real foundation we cannot say. In any event, the Government, it is now a matter of history, had its own particular nominee—for that matter so did the Opposition—for the Northern Maori seat, but when it became apparent that, as a sequel to the general appeal to tile electors, the main parties were of about equal strength, Mr Henare found that in a very brief period he had, quite without any special effort on his own part, attained to very considerable political importance. H:s vote, it was at once seen, could and would make the fortunes of which ever side he chanced to favor when it should come to a trial of strength. Now' the matter which, we think, is most worthy of the consideration of the public is not so much what transpired before this particular contest, as the strikingly different attitudes taken up by the rival political parties subsequent to the contest. As to the present Govrnrnent attitude on the point, it merely took the form of a public statement to the effect that it was quite prepared to trust to the neiv member’s own judgment as to which party should be reckoned by, him as having the better claim to support. But opponents of the present Government evidently considered that if they adopted a very different attitude it might prove, very advantageous to their side. What they decided upon certainly did not

lack brazenness, even..it it were very ' marked with .much clumsiness. Jn duo course, it will be remembered, it become known that an Opposition organiser or canvasser or some other party official had failed to secure a satisfactory interview with Mr JLienare, but it was not for want for trying. What was said in explanation of the failure of this particular mission was that the new member had “fled to the bush," or something equally amusing, rather thaii grant such a request. By nobody- who was acquainted with Mr Honaro would any such statement, however, he believed. The new member, it is clear, would, in such circumstances,, simply facetiously repeat that be would give bis interrogators two guesses—-a remark which originally created a great deal of merriment. Then it became known that a well-known East Coast politician had only by a mere coincidence taken a trip to Mr Henare’s political headquarters. Jt may have been true that on the occasion of the visit Mr Henare chanced to be exceedingly busy—some say he took his departure in the direction from which Sir Jas. Carroll had iust arrived—but those who are in a position to know unhesitatingly* repute the suggestion that no exchange of views took made between these two gentlemen. What they aver is that Sir Jas. Carroll returned a much sadder man, for Mr Henare told him that, whilst he might be able to support the Ward Party in some things lie was in favor of the Government’s policy in regard to a number of more important and very essential questions. But that was not all. In the meantime, Native supporters of the defeated Opposition nominee had got busy and were working tooth and nail with a view to getting Mr Henare to go over to the Ward Party. There can be no dispute as to the reliability of this statement of the position for in his sworn testimony before the Election Court Mr Henare made it quite plain that he was approached by onlv one party and that party, it will be agreed, was, at all events, not the Massey Party. We now come to the interesting point- that when Mr Henare was faced with a petition he was actually led to understand by at least one of the principal petitioners mat, if he would consent to vote with the Opposition, the petition would bo withdrawn. Here we come to a matter which must astound every elector who believes in clean, sound, honest Government. Jf Mr Henare decided to become an Opposition supporter there would be no quarrel as far as least one of the petitioners was concerned as to the validity of liis election, but if, on the other hand, lie were to refuse, as lie did refuse, to go over to the Ward Party, the petition was to lie proceeded with. This represents a very painful political doctrine, for it simply amounts to this that the “Ticasury-Bhnches-at-any-prioe-Party” are more concerned about getting a now member’s support than tuey are as to whether he has or has not been elected in a proper manner. Apparently they might go so far as to accept support from such a member at the price of abstaining from testing an improper election. Jn the circumstances, all right-thinking electors will extend their congratulations to Mr Massey in that his party would not stoop to any such political methods as those which have been exposed as tiie result of the hearing of this particular petition which, by the way, proved, as was anticipated, quite futile.