OPEN CONFESSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15924, 9 May 1912, Page 6

OPEN CONFESSION.

It is really very amusing to find the Farmers’ Political Protection Federation and the Political Reform League solemnly announcing through their official channels that they have amalgamated' and that henceforth instead of making any pretenoe of independence the Federation will be as frankly Conservative as the League is kuown to be. Of course the announcement so far as tho public are concerned was quite unnecessary. Everyone knew a week after the Federation'made its appearance that it was merely one of several tails t]jat were being wagged by the League. But tho League was not winning much favour m Canterbury, where the . Federation had its birth, and the sponsors of the baby appendage loudly protested that it had nothing whatever to do with party politics. They kept up the fiction for quite a time, urging Reformers and Liberals to meet on common ground for tho protection of tho interests of the farmers from the machinations of the wicked politicians of either party. But the public only laughed and at last the sponsors ad-

witted the facte. Mr Massey interrupted liis journey from the south to witness the amalgamation ceremony and a groat gathering of Reformers celebrated its completion. Probably this is the “pressing business that prevented tlje leader of the Opposition seeing newspaper reporters last week and . gave the lesser lights of the party an opportunity to speak their pieces. The product- seems to an outsider scarcely worth all tho labour it entailed,- but wo at least may congratulate the sponsors upon having made in the end the open confession that is proverbially good for the soul.