POLITICAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 11 March 1912, Page 6

POLITICAL.

(To the Editor.) ' >?' r 'T If an neighbour may be allotted to expveos an opinion upou tho political jtu?.i;on in Nelson. I v.uiild be ©bilged for space to say "a word or two*. Although an outsider, we here are just nest door to you, and our interests common. In regard to Mr At more end his vote, I would like ,to say that 1 was one of these who believed he would vote with the Opposition. Mi-Motfatt had Government backing and -support, and Air Atroore, on the strength of his feMion*, received most of that of opfoW to or differing from the Government. A lew might have voted for the members personally, but th o fight in Nelaon wag the fight .which was fought in almost every electorate in New Zea-' land—one between Government and Reform, And at the second ballot in particular, many, electors acclaimed Mr AtaH»e M the. Reform and Opposition Champion. • The position in Weldivision was, 1 iria in fact now : is, practically identical with the same at the time of/and previous to the election ; nothing wliich- counted had or has lmS® " -The question to be decided in Wellington was, not that of superiority in political-intrigue or smartness as be-, tweea Mr Masyey .and Sir Joseph Ward; the question to he voted upon was the question which .the electors had already decided upon. Mr Atmore's charge was to work for a better system of Government. Whether ■ he - styled and atyltg • himself an "Independent Liberal" . or' net, he was electtil largely on tha strength ol ana by ■ ifcaaou of his public Dohtivrti prciflssions : 1 and the., Utter were such as to lutivb kvi gically no room for doubt as to hcw-Mrt Atmore would vote oil a div:.-ion. T am also at a loss to., account lor Mr .Atmore'e speech in- the Hou.k>; ami tne v.av '• Ii:> vote v vv;us east-. -On l.»;it s;x>«i-.!u ! • uiink'that Mr Ulnon \\<ud U u\ b . ' i3timpell«sd $> ; vote' against "t'h'o.'.fwin" of " which had. freatad- thu-e-v'ik . " ht! deplored-".aiitl condemned, Aj.-i'o, ha? 1 fore taking:.'.- it. upon himself"' to Ipctur-s-' Ali- Massey'rlKuit g-fltting onUot' the \Vay ofihe car;.!)!.. progtv;-\; ;iiuj ?o forth, : -hei . 'inif(h£ advifjitagtously enough take a -few lessons hvn'siyit. Xi'v judge ai.nuin by; his • actions :in<| nut by his-pro Sessions. ;in-l riglvti'y sc>. r.nd.Mr Atmore anust ajrr<u. a G-oveviimeUt itLu.f he judged- Lv ne-;'„ .tioiis, and not' on-. its 'professions. •• iv.r?" to ay - n»inu,Mr At more s course ciear ; once elected, he chouul have voreo the ' Government out and follow or re.fuse to follow .Mr Massev or any otnci it-.ider. Sir. what matters is, lhat itr Atmore eecuied .oic-ction. iarsjely . iiv .1 Opposition, support, lae absurd which Mr Atmore has- made,, of Maasey'a party being ilaTgelv ldenticn. with that of the old.. Tories or Conaervati' es, and representing mcnied and lauaed interest* practically exclusively, is • in plain Engl-eh, bunkum. Are there, and have there been no large landhokl-. «rs On; and supporting the Government t idf, no large' monied interests supnort:nn> thotnT ' On which side lias been liquor ' interest lh<*3 many -As . to _■-bursting up ■ ' i.n ge cstutt 1 ; and . lsflfiT • - £?ttlement; why. Glion.d 1 Mr Atmore conclude- that a Government which had had magriihcent opportunity for twenty ~ gears' to do . as . he wished and had largely failed or ahirked it, would be; any more energetic in this or any other forward direc ' tion in the future? 'One wou'd thiul* that he might have given another party, ■even Mr Massey's party, a trial m thismatter .seeing history indicated then was little hope from: the . Government. What, anyhow, were-these in,'nationa. importance compared with the payment: to judges, secret trials cf high-placed ot. lenders, secret land-jobbing through and by members of Parliament: patronage in the Civil Service; and the many ' other .abuses created and perpetrated b> a Government tco loiijj in ofllce ? Mr lAtmore practically aaid in his Parlia-. mentary speech, "I know that the Go vechment is bad, but I am told that th - Reform .Party, is old-fashioned ; anc. : >then he voted for a continuance of th Coverameut. The Reform Party wa;

pledged to-Civil Service reform ; railway reform; abolition of patronage; .aboii tion of secrecy in public affairs; jeforii on an elective basis of Legislative Coun cil ; of Cabinet 'Rule bv Order. " in Council'; abolition of. second ballot reduced borrowing and economy in' ex penditure of public money•; reduction iu taxation: 'and'cost of living; increasec land aettlement - and eoforth—measures not wholly Conservative, which an 'lnde pendent Liberal could 'cnthiuo upon ■ 1 With the death-sentence upon it,-the Government brought down a so-called Budget which no seneible man could taks •erioaaly. - It i« deeds that count, no ' promiaes, ill Budgets, especially death oed Budgets. . I believe a etraigiit-oui ■ I Oposition roan will, win the seat at the . next election. > >•••• I am, etc., ' 0. L. TACON. Lower Moutwc. (A considerable portion of the corns pondent's letter has been eliminated, b& cause, whilst the correspondent has •« right to express his opinions on the local political campaign: -Mr Atmore's vote ir. Parliament, and tho issues involved, it i: clearly unfair to Mt Atnwre to etatr ' that ne has broken any pledges to thf \ elector®, for he nave none.—Ed. N.E.M.'