AN OPPOSITION CAMPAIGN

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 64, 16 March 1911, Page 4

AN OPPOSITION CAMPAIGN

It would be a mistake to infer from the absence of the Prime Minister and Dr Findlay at the Imperial Conference that the pubhc interest m politics is to be allowed to remam torpid until it is stirred up afresh bT^e re-assembling of Parliament. Already an Opposition platform campaign has been mapped out. AccordSTe Wee gentlemen addressing meetings to be ™A*\™£» «ffi tres in Otago and Southland. Mr Massey is also to speak, later on, at Wellington, and about the end pt May Till give an .address at Auck^ land. Mr Herries is, we are^glad to see also to enter the field, and act dress meetings at Hokitika and, poj sibly, other centres on the West Coast. Mr Berries is not a politician of the "pushful" type, but bears an excellent reputation for sturdy independence and an ever-present com-mon-sense. All these speeches cannot fail to create a new interest.in politics. They should be welcomed even by those who .are the strongest of Government supporters. A strong Opposition is what every country requires which possesses Parliamentary institutions. There is nothing like hearing both sides of every question, and in view of the fact that after the next session there will be little time available for the "big guns" to go outside their own electorates, it is just as well that they should set forward the Opposition policy while they have leisure, and become more conversant with the desires and opinions of electors, not only in their own districts but throughout the Dominion. Need- ! less to say, it is most improbable jthat ! Ministers will allow Messrs Massey; Allen, Herries, and Herdman to have all the fun to themselves. We may rest assured that Mr Massey and his friends will speedily be followed by one or other of the Ministers. Mr Millar is not heard so frequently on general politics as is desirable, and in Messrs Fowlds and T. Mackenzie the Government possess two most capable platform champions. Wha€ with Opposition criticism and Ministerial replies thereto, public interest in matters political should 'speedily warm up most noticeably. The result will bei that, although neither party may make mdny openly-avowed converts, the public mind cannot fail to become better educated in political affairs, and the electors will then be better qualified to cast their votes at +he general election which is due next December.