THE "STRONG MAN" NEW ZEALAND WANTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9632, 5 October 1911, Page 5

THE "STRONG MAN" NEW ZEALAND WANTS.

MR W, T. MASSEY, M,P„ LEADER OF HIS MAJESTY'S OPPOSITION.

A MAN Of THE PEOPLE/

(By "Democrat.")

With the Jioui' comes the man! Iw all tho great crises that have been recorded from timo to time in the history of free peoplos; leaders have arisen to pilot iiw barque of Stato into safo waters In political, as in other affairs, dangerous periods are entered upon,' when the liberties of the people avo imperilled through tho insidious attacks' made upon, freodom of speech, tho right of publio meeting, and upon that "watchdog of the people" —the Press, and it becomes necessary for the domocracy to assert its rights,- and to insist upon the sweeping, away of abuses, and tho introduction of much needed and long-delayed reforms. One such crisis

is upon the peoplo of Now Zealand today. A bm'eaucratio Government is- in ofiice, woddwl to the political patronage idea, filling ono chamber of- the GeneralAssembly with its nominees,- and rewarding its political supporters with Government appointments, dispensing, tho public-' moneys like so much largess amongst the-' elooiorates favouring its supporters, andexploiting the country on the "Spoils tothe Victors" principle; denying tho people,l under the notorious Criminal Code Act Amendment of 1905, the right of free speech in public meeting; gagging the Press with the infamous Clause 7 of the Law of- Libel Amendment Act of 1910; increasing the.cost of government at the rate of £450,000 per annum, and placing additional 'taxation burdens upon itlio country, in order that more money may bo available for the bribes it holds out to the people, the increased taxation of the

last twelve months (according to ono of its supporters, Mr A. M, Myers), representing an advance of £1 Is 7d per head of the population, i.e., from £4 6s lOd in 1909-10 to £5 8s Vd in 1910-11. And, despite the, claim of certain of its supporters that the Continuous Liberal Admin-

istration has merely entered upon its majority, the fact remains that, politically, it is in the sere and yellow leaf, decrepit and tottering to its fall—a prey to its weaknesses and shortcomings. It has long since ceased to effectively represent the people; lustful of power, it has hedged itself round and about with almost sove-

reign prerogatives, usurping the rights of Parliament, of the local governing bodies and the people aliko, Satiated with long enjoyment of the "sweets" of office, the one object of its existence seems'to be to perpetuate the life given to it by the people, _ whom it alternately threatens and cajoles. It introduces laws in the most slip-shod fashion, not even troubling to aiscortiiin if ono law conflicts with another, and consequently compels the House to spend half its time revising tho faulty legislation which has been forced upon the country and tho people with little or no consideration for either. This is shown by the fact that during the first five sessions controlled by the Ward Administration, moro than half of the Public Acts introduced by Ihe Government were amendments of former Acts passed by the continuous Administration, two, three, and even more Bills being needed beforo flhe tangled skein could be unravelled, >and in some instances the law is still very faulty. Tho Administration is virtuous only in the indignation with which it regards criticism directed against its financial methods or modos of administration, and it is becoming more and more conscious of the fact that it is steadily alienating tho sympathy cf tho workers, and that b is viewed with feelings of growing distrust by the people, who arc awakening to a senso of tho true position of affairs, Thoy realise that they have reached a crisis in these affairs that calls for careful pilotage, and the presence at the helm of State of a strong man—a man of courage, capacity, and resource; a man of high ideals, and of unimpeachable character—and they arc already asking-• themselves where such a man is to bo found, THE "STRONG- MAN" READY.

Tho crisis finds tho strong man ready and waiting to step into his rightful place in tho counsels of our young nation. His many years faithful servico in the higher interests of the people of this country I deserve, and should receive recognition in tho cordial confidence of the electors. Not that William Ferguson Massey is looking for any reward, or that the services, lie lias freely rendered to the community can bo measuerd in mere pounds, shillings and penoo, or by tho emoluments of office. Mr Massey never has been a man seeking political preferment or Ministerial office, for ho could havo obtained a portfolio long ago had he been so minded. It is only his political opponents who fear him, and the peoplo who are not acquainted with 'him, who speak of the Leader of the Opposition as other than a strong man. Mr Massey is, beyond question, tho strong man of the New Zealand Parliament to-day. It has been well said of him that "before and above all ho is ah honest man, a steward , who will bo found faithful, faithful to God and his country, and to his conscience; whose word, given only after ' his own calm, unbiassed judgment, is his bond." Mr Massey has been long enough j before the public to enable those who ; have taken the trouble to study his career, to recognise the sterling worth and integrity of the man. In a very real sense of the term ho has made himself the servant of the public. He is deserved- • ly respected and honoured by his consti-. tucnts, and is looked up to by tho party ' he leads as tho most hard-working and j self-sacrificing man in the House. Level-' headed, clear-brained, quick-witted, and always on tho alert, he is ono of the most j effective speakers in tho House, and his voioe and brains are both used in the 1 interests of the peoplo at large. It has • been said, with perfect truth, that; tho real Liberals in the House ire: not to bo found on the Govern- j ment benches, but on Mr Massey's side. | The Leader of the Opposition has been ' described by his political opponents as a j "Tory of the Tories," and it has been al- ; leged against him that he is a supporter and advocate of the wealthy landholders. The. exact contrary is the case., however, j Mr Massey is far from being a wealthy man. Ho ha§ been a hard worker all bis days; he is a hard worker still, and is likely to remain such until tho end of his career, He started life in a very humble way, toiling hard with his hands, and earning his bread litorally by tho sweat of his brow. By sheer energy and industry, coupled with a forco of will that is infinitely to his .credit, he carved out! his own fortunes, first as an employee, then as an employer, and, during the j wholo of his career ho has done nothing of which he neod9 to be ashamed. Ho remains as much a worker to-day, and is as much in sympathy with the legitimate aspirations of the workers, as the most ; industrious and zealous advocate of tho j rights of labour in tho ranks of tho unionists themselves. Ho recognises that •■"The rank is but the guinea, stamps The man's the gold for a' that." 110 is consequently ono of the most lib-eral-minded men. in New Zealand, It was; well said of him by Mr.E., W. Alison tho j other, day that "Mr Massey towers ovor j the ordinary Minister like a great racehorso above the ordinary hack. He is quite competent to tako his place amongthe leaders of the nation, and if lie assumes the reins of office ho will pass legislation that.;will be in the best interests of the whole of the peoplo of New, Zealand." To use tho worcls of another close observer of events: "No politician in the, Dominion lias been subjected to a more searching or cruel searchlight than Mr Massey, and yet to-day lie stands higher in publio esteem than he ever did. Ho passos unharmed through the flame of tho furnace, whether. fanned by a Carroll, or a Ward, or a .Fowlds. The preoious gold of his chai'acter shines more brightly with a richer gleam, yet is calm and steady. Innuendo, false accusation, misrepresentation, base caricature and defamation ho has borne and still bears, ■ not/ indeed with insensibility, but with a quiet, conscious power: and self-restraint. ■■ His warmest friends, will not claim that ho has mado no. mistakes—"To err is hninan"-or that ho has always sefeecl

opportunity by the forelock, but his bit*' terosfc opponents must admit that ho ha 9 displayed throughout his long and strenuous career an exceptional'and splendid eclf-restraint I hope to live to see Mr Massoy's self victory crowned by the supremo approbation and tribute of tte Dominion, , (To bo Continued),