ELECTION YEAR!

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16550, 14 May 1914, Page 6

ELECTION YEAR!

No one vrho reads the .report of the Prime Minister's speech nt Gisborne last night will need to he reminded that this is election yenr. Tho fact in brought to mind by almost every line in an undisguised and unblushing bid for votes. When Mr Masscy was leader of tho Opposition he professed to be. able to read the signs of the times as tvell as nnyone else could, if not a IRtlo better, and in the speech iu the . Wellington Town Hall with which he inaugurated tho Reform campaign of 1911 he had a great cleall to Kay about the intimate qonncction between the approaching election and tho magnitude of the public expenditure. He declared that " any sensible man not steeped to the eyes in political prejudice" could see that borrowing could not bo "safely" increased and that tho Liberal Government wars probably raising more money because that was '•election year" and " the money was wanted to buy votes." That was less than three years ago. Since then he has boasted of having spent more on public works than Sir Joseph Ward ever did and last night he promised to surpass his own record. " He was going to ask Parliament this year," the summary of his remarks runs, " for a larger sum than for many years back for tho carrying on of public works." Of course this was only to be expected, not simply because this is election year, but also because the route of every tour he has made, during the recess is literally strewn with promises. Nor is this tho only gooo. thing awaiting the electors if, to quote a' phrase Mr Massey made familiar in 1911, they consent to be •' bribed with thoir own money." Private enterprise is to bo called to the assistance of the Reformers in their campaign. The Prime Minister and his colleagues are not going " to play tho dog in the manger," but they are going to give private companies an opportunity to "build and run " branch railways "on the understanding" that the State "some day" will take over the lines. What more could the heart of the speculator and the land monopolist desire? Loans, more loans, and still more loans; private enterprise, more private enterprise and still more private enterprise. A veritable orgy of borrowing and spending! It is indeed election year! Surely Mr Massey must have smiled at his own little jest when he followed this astounding announcement with an assurance that lie would keep " the pledges and promises he had made to the people." If his audience had any sense of humour at all it must have smiled with him when h<added, apparently as an afterthought, prompted by an accusing conscience, that many of his promises had been " fulfilled already." Other parts oi tho speech were amusing enough, but they appear humdrum and commonplace beside this unparalleled bid for votes. Nothing now remains among tho sins he attributed to his predecessors in office for Mr Massey to emulate.