TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9450, 24 February 1911, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The Methodist Conference, of. New Zealand, which opened Well-Deserved yesterday, has lionHonour, oured Palmerston. -by electing to its highest office the superintendent of the local Methodist district;. .Rev. G. W. J. . Spence has had a long'and honoured connection with the Methodist Church in New Zealand,' and his election'has not come as a surprise to those who know the splendid work he.'Has'done. Coining from Belfast (Ireland) ae : a probationer in 1879, Mr Spehce's'first work in, New Zealand was.at Christ: church. He has since had charge of a number of important circuits, including Giebome. Dunedin', Oamaru, Napier, Greymoxith, Rangitikei, Auckland, and Palmerston North, where he has now been labouring for.two years. Ho also occupies* the important' post of' chairman of the Wahganur district, oti3 of the largest in the Dominion. At the present time the Palmerston circuit is particularly healthy,, and ' is fast becoming a highly important sphere of Methodist activity., It has a large and active country following, be-' sides the two healthy town charges. At Broad street (Mr Spence's own charge) a handsome new brick building is being commenced, and this mil give the cause added strength locally. We heartily congratulate the Rev. Mr Spence and the Palmerston Methodists on a well-deserved preferment.

We can quite understand our contemporary's insatiable Dished! desire to make its readers believe, , even in.the face of the evidence we-pub-* lished' yesterday,, that the .unfortunate affair of the Master'ton Liberal requisition to'Mr J. p. Cooper was a "delicious hoax." This brazening out ■ .of an untenable theory is all' that.; isleft to a journal assuming fioabsiird a position. In reply,, we , merely quote the Wairarapa journals of yesterday on the matter. The;Agej'-. the Reform organ, says "the now notorious Cooper requisition is receiving, a lot of notice throughout the 'Do-, minion." The Wairarapa Daily Times refers to its Palmerston namesake's "somewhat surprising articlej" arid after quoting the adjectival reference to the "deep-laid, subtle,', and altogether delicious political hoaxj" wonders where our contemporary "gathered this 1 astonishing i information.'' Then follows a quotation from the editorial fantasia,' pointing out that most of it is directed against the.Palmerston morning paper's "bold, bad evening contemporary!" We ■■ are. afraid all the Wairarapa journals are afflict•'!ed' with our trouble—"a lack of the saving grace of humour"—and; *our I (contemporary evidently .''occupies V ■■'splendid and enviable isplation' over' this' "deep-laid, subtle,, and altogether delicious hoax!".} ■'ss.. notice othdr Liberal journals are nqjv;making frantic efforts to explain away.tlie notorious• requisition.;, The.,sewi. land Times to-day does not deny the reality of the document, but attempts •to;.show that th'e'deputationistsrwere . noi ''"official" members .of, the'.jmrty. -'This isfjiistifwhat hut ' it-'does not,fit the foolish "hoax" -theory. ; '.•:,;,,::; ! ,:,v