A CURIOUS STORY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1705, 19 December 1919, Page 4

A CURIOUS STORY.

A CURIOUS story is going tho rounds, attributing a statement to the Hon. George Fowlds which places that gentleman in an altogether new light before the country. It is said that Mr Fowlds, the .thrice-defeated of Grey Lynn, is claiming to have practically been the sponsor for Mr Massey with the Reform Party, when tho late Sir William Russell resigned the leadership of the then in 1904. Tho claim, said to have been made by Mr Fowlds himself in an address to tho electors of Grey Lynn, is that Mr Fowlds his influence with a close friend on the Opposition side to have Mr Massey elected to the leadership of the Reform Party. Mr Fowlds further claims that, by his retirement from Sir Joseph Ward's Cabinet in 1911, "he was immediately responsible for the accession to office of the Massey Government, because 15 of its supporters were elected in 1911 with majorities of less than 30, and ho was sure that what was said and done in reference to his retirement was responsible for the swinging over of at least IS Liberal votes to tho Roform side in each of these electorates. Hut for such transfers," Mr Fowlds is reported to have said, "Mr Massey's party, instead of having a majority, would have been in a minority of 30." It seems a pity to spoil a story of which the best possible use will probably be made by those of our contemporaries who are anxious to discount the effect ol bit Massey's signal victory at Wednesday'* polh,, but anyone who cares to Lake the trouble to.check the statement'.regarding the Reform majorities, by a reference to the official returns, will find Miat it. is singularly wide or the truth. The lowest majority secured by any of Mr Massey's supporters at the 1911 elections, apart from tho majorities secured at the first ballots, was 05 in the case of. tho Wellington Fast electorate, whero the seat formerly held by Mr D.. McLaren was won by Dr. Newman. The actual average majority secured by tho 39 successful Reform candidates on that occasion was 029. It may of course bo true that Mr Fowlds suggested to his friend in the Opposition Party that Mr Massey should be chosen as Sir William Russell's successor, but, if we recall the circumstances correctly, Mr Massey, who was at that time tho Senior ' Whip of the Party, was elected at the same meeting at which Sir William's resignation was received. No one knowing Mr Fowlds's real feelings towards Mr Massey is likely to credit the ex-mem-ber for Grey Lynn with any special desire to advance tho political fortunes of tho gentleman who has for the last seven and a half years held the position of Prime Minister' of this Dominion with such infinite credit to himself and tho. country. Mr Fowlds's recent declaration that if returned to Parliament he would vote to turn Mr Massey out of- office, and take the risk of any Government that might be installed in place of his, affords a truer indication of Mr Fowlds's sentiments where Mr Massey is concerned. It used to. be said in Auckland that, if Mr Massey suggested anything, the mere fact of tho suggestion coming from such a quarter would be quite enough to cause Mr Fowlds to raise his voice in opposition. The Auckland Star, knowing that gentleman's weakness in that direction, used to periodically treat its readers to interviews with Mr l<owlds, as a sort of corrective to the alleged reactionary policy' and views expounded by Mr Massey, -the: result being that the public used to have a surfeit, especially at election time, of Mr Fowlds on Mr Massey," and-vice versa. There is so little .real foundation lor this lateft statement,- which is supposed to afford "a glimpse into the secret history of' New Zealand," that the wonder is it was ever made.. '' /.' (