Untitled

Grey River Argus, 26 November 1914, Page 4

Those who read the account of the speech given by Mr. P. C. Webb, and reported by our evening contemporary must have been struck with the fact that the greater part of the speaker's time was devotedjf to "my friend the Argus ' ' — we are pleased to find that in spite of the hard knocks given and received we still remain among his friends. Mr. Webb has learned from past experience that one's best friends are not always those who, to use a colloquialism, "smoodge" to us. The word is not a very nice one, but it is expressive and conveys exactly the shade of meaning we wish to express. All this in passing. As we said before "the litle Argus " occupied a great deal of Mr. Webb's time. An attack on Mr. Michel and the Massey Government occupies the greater part of the remainder of his speech, and a very few words served to cover his work as a member — a space, of a few inches covers all that he said under that heading. He says tHat when he was retwed at the by-election it was pro- ' phesied that the place would go "bung." The man who, made that prophecy was a seer of the first order, for no place has been nearer the "bung" stage than this electorate. The State mines were closed and it was Mi*. Webb and his friends, tKe Red Feds, ' who closed thtfin, and it was Massey 's special " constable who reopened them. Therefore we may justly conclude that so far as Mr. Webb was concerned the district and the State mines were both "bung" and the whole Dominion would have been worse than "bung" if the Red Feds had come out top dog in the strike war. It was Massey 's special constables who prevented that catastrophe, and Liberals who are inclined to vote for Mr. Webb should bear these incontrovertible facts in mind before

voting for Mr. Webb, who went into the House with the express purpose of putting Mr. Massey out, and who never looked- once like carrying out the job. He did, we admit, succeed in making himself and the district look very foolish on several occasions. He

claims to his credit that the local bodies got as much from the Government during his term 6:£ office as they did during a corresponding period of his predecessor's term. It was not Mr. Webb's efforts that gained these grants. The Massey Government have been charged with many sins of omission and commission, . but even Mr. "Webb had not. the effrontery to charge them, with punishing a district that returned an Opposition member. It is a great pity that the Bed Feds do not p,ive the same square deal to the workers who differ £rom them as Mr. Massey has done to his political opponents. Mr. Webb 's account of his . stewardship is a wonderful one— four eolumng of abuse and a couple of inches of work done.

The Wiestport Harbour Board invite applications for the position of Engineering cadet. For further particulars see advertisement.

At Pxeston Yards on 'Monday next. G. W Moss and Co will sell 25 fat bullocks, and 200 fat sheep.

At Totara Flat Saleyards on Tuesday, December Bth, G. W. Moss and Co will sell 75 store bullocks and 75 store cattle. Further entries solid-, ted.

His Worship the Mayor (G. E. Perkins, Esq.), presided over a brief sitting of the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when a female offender, who was charged with drunkenness, was convicted and fined ss. On a further charge of procuring liquor while a prohibition order was in force against her, she was remanded to appear before the Magistrate.

Mr. J. McCarthy, chairman of the Grey County Council, who made representations for Government assistance towards the cost (£2000) of repairing the damage caused by recent floods in the Grey County, has received the folloAving self-explanatory Avires: "Telegram in regard to flood damage received. Will communicate Avith the Minister of Public Works and your representations Avill have the careful consideration of the Government. — W. F. Massey." "Regret to hear about floods. Will certainly assist as soon as I knoAV the circumstances. — W. Fraser, Minister of Public Works."

Mr. G. Pearce, M.P. for Patea, sayss it is evident that, as far as the elections are concerned, the people are continuing to take an interest in politics, ior everywhere, particularly iv the backblock districts, he had been addressing JaTger meetings than he had during Che six years he had represented the district.

The National Schools Defence League waited on the Napier Reform candidate (Mr. G. W. Venables), says a Napier correspondent, concerning his views on the Bible-in-schools question. Mr. Venables said that Prohibition was a .matter of conscience just as much as the Bible in schools, and the question should be decided by the bulk of the people. He declined to recede from his position of advocating the referendum.

The disgruntled remnant of the old Liberal Party, composed of politicians Avho are living solely on the reputation and achievement of men whose per t'ormances they are hopelessly incapable of emulating, have practically as their sole aim the re-accesison to power. It does not matter a pint point to them how this is accomplished. Back to office and political patronage is the obsession and the only consideration. — Pahiatua "Herald." '

Some amusement was created by Sir Walter Buchanan, M.P., at his meeting at Morison's Bush. Sir Walter Buchanan. suggested that a search party should be formed to endeavour to find the £5000 that the Opposition candidate alleged he had placed on the Estimates for the survey of the Rimutaka deviation. In his opinion the search party has an impossible task in. front of it.

"He won the seat by the thoughtful way in which he approached national problems, and the air of sincerity that marked his candidature. The electors trust him. He has naturally developed in his three years of Parliamentary experience, but he has developed along right lines, and those qualities that .tirst commended him to his constituents have led to his being regarded as what this country has grown most highly to esteem — a straightforward public man." — Dannevirke News on Mr. J. H. Escott, M.P. for Pahiatua.

The work accomplished by the Government as already outlined by the Prime Minister, and others, speaks for itself, and it is open to the honest and searching criticism of all who are opp.osed to the reforms which Mr. Massey and his colleagues set about to accomplish. The Government welcomes such criticism, being assured that their measures and policy will emerge triumphantly when the time arrives for the test of a popular vote. — North Otago Times.

Sir Joseph Ward's statement that the building vote should be cut in half was a vote of condemantion on himself, because nearly all the public buildings in the payments referred to were built on the foundation-stones laid by Sir Joseph . himself. — Mr. D. Jones, Eeform candidate for Kaiapoi.

Dealing Avith the Ward party's going out of office, the candidate stated that it had gone because it had been tried and found Wanting. Starting Avith a big majority of 52, that party Avent down to an even vote in the House, and even then Sir Joseph. Ward only got the casting' vote of the Speaker on a no-confidence motion by the announcement, that he Avas about to resign. — Mr. F. W. Lang, M.P., at Mt. Boskill.

The member for Pahiatua, Mr. J. H. Escott, said in a recent speech that "during its two years of office tho i%eform Government has placed 4125 s«tlors on an urea of l.:'S2.Si4 acres, oxclusive of reserves tot aside for education endowments. Daring' the J.ist year of office the present Government placed under seHlom^t an area ton times as large as that settled l.y the AVard 'Government during its last yoM of office."

"What did the Roil Fed* diwu on the Coast do when we asked tliera to Avork on pay-day to ?;ive as coal for the navy?" — This ques'/op. vras asked by Mr. Fisher at his mooting m refer c: co it the frequent action 0' the present-day Red Feds in calling for three cheers for Sir Toaepli Ward and the dreadnought. "T am delighted to see the pride of rho lt«d Feds in their new leader Avith the hereditary title," said Mr. Fisaov.

"The White Book." being the Official Correspondence relating to the European Crisis as presented to Parliament by His Majesty. Price 6d each, posted 7d. Procurable at B.

In Iris speech at Happy Vailoy. Nelson, Mr. T. A. H. Field told how ono of the leading members . of the Opposition Party described their defeat, in 1912. He was asked "How was it you went out?'* He replied: "After the House met there were 3S freehold members looking us in the eye. What were we? Some freeholders, some leaseholders, and no land policy since Seddon's time. We had to walk out." What was the Ward party's land policy

to-day? asked Mr. Field. No or, e knew. They had no policy. And yet. aded Mr. Fieid, the land question was the most important before the NewZealand Parliament.

One great work that the Reform Party was pledged to carry out was the removal of the Civil fjervice from Ministerial influence, and causing merit to be the test for promotion, instead of political support. That duty the Government faced in a fearless manner, and all would agree that it was not undertaken a day too soon. The Civil Service to-day is under the control of Commissioners, in whom the country has full confidence. . . . The Government may well be proud of its achievements in putting the Service on such a fine footings — Mr. J. A. Nash at Palmerston North.

The feeling in Nelson is stated by a- business man who has travelled throughout the electorate to be decidedly cold towards Mr. Atmore. Mr. Field) the Reform candidate, is having excellent attendances at his meetings, and has made a decidedly favourable impression on the electors. It is stated that a careful canvass of districts formerly supposed to be strongholds of Mr. Atmore } s has .shown a majority of votes for Mr. Field. Even his friends are stated to be heartily tired of Mr. Atmore 's inability to put a bridle on his tongue, and his shuffling attitude both in respect of the general party question and also on specific measures has led to a general distrust of his political claims. Our informant, whose business brought him into contact with all classes of people throughout the district, states that even in the most unexpected quarters he found evidences of solid-sup-port for Mr. Field.

Another Socialist attr.che to the Wardist camp has let in. light upon what some Oppositionists, seemingly, wished should be a secret compact; Speaking at Foxton, Mr.'J. Kobertson, Opposition candidate for Otaki, said (according to an exchange) : By reverting to the first past the post system the Government hoped to retain the Treasury benches on a minority vote. They hoped to split the progressive vote and thus win. It was a deliberate attempt to defeat the wishes of the majority of the people, but the progressive had come to an understanding whereby there would be no splitting of votes. As far as the ''Otaki seat was concerned there would be no official Liberal candidate and in other electorates Labour candidates hart been withdrawn in order to give Liberal candidates a clear run.

The statutory meeting of the Grey County Council Avill be held at noon to-day. ,

At tile Hokitika Warden's Court yesterday morning Warden Hewitt dealt Avith the folloAving: — Gordon E. Harcourt (Mr. Park) water race, Humplireys Gully. — Granted.. P. McCorniick (Mr. Wells) special 'claim, Rimu. — Granted. J. Anderson timber splitting warrant, Chesterfield. — Granted. A number of other applications were adjourned.

The new traffic bridge over th-e Inangahua River at Reef ton is a vast improvement on the old structure", and the decking being about four feet lower, the gradients to the bridge at each end are much easier of negotiation by all classes of traffic. The bridge should serve the requirements of the town and district for many years to come.

A novel auction sale was held in Reeftou yesterday morning Avhen a collection of various kinds of articles, including stock, poultry, butter, and other farm produce, gifts from farmers in the surrounding district, were submitted to auction on behalf of tlie Belgian Relief Fund. There was keen competition and a 'substantial sum Avas realised as a result of the sale. The generosity of the donors of the goods is to be highly commended.