CONSTRUCTIVE THOUGHT WANTED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 25 October 1928, Page 9

CONSTRUCTIVE THOUGHT WANTED

iTo the Editor) Sir. —In your columns of 19th inst. there was a letter from "True Blue," the naivete of which was amusing, the reasoning rather quaint. Why should my previous letter have cast a slur on the Reform Party? Surely "True Blue"'is aware of the advantages for preferential treatment accruing to those who belong to such organisations as Trade Unions, .Masonic Lodges, Returned Soldiers' Associations and the innumerable groups, clubs and societies in existence; why should political groups be exempt? We know they are not, and much as we may dislike • party politics, we have to put up with the party system and its obvious disadvantages, seeing there is no workable alternative. "True Blue's" fourth sentence is rather quaint. Of course Mr Atmore will admit the district has not suffered becajse of his political attitude; he will do more, he will shout it from the house-tops, but he cannot alter the facts. 'True blue's" last sentence recoils on its writer. The words are, "He (Mr Atmore) has obtained more grants, etc., from the .Reform Government than our last Reform member did." Seeing that Mr Atmore has been our member for about 13 years, and our last Eeform member held the seat for only three years, it is a very poor, nay a very beggarly, compliment to 'Mr Atmore, in fact, rather a "backhander." ,Mr O. Milner's letter in your issue of Monday last contains some' curious reasoning'for a business man. He says labels do not count for anything, but if I were to buy a tin labelled so and so's peach jam, and found on opening it that it contained stewed prunes, 1 should be very justifiably annoyed, no matter how good the prunes might be. Yet Mr Milner says, in effect, that it would not matter at all so long as the goods were sound. .Rather queer reasoning. In the same way, when voting for Mr Atmore, and, one supposed, Mr Massey in 1911, one found the vote had gone to Sir Joseph Ward, there was ample reason for dissatisfaction. Mr Milner strongly upholds Mr Atmore's independent attitude as one of high ideals, and in the same breath states that it might be necessary for Mr Atmore to accept higher rank before long, and that can he done only by Mr Atmore changing his political colours. Yet Mr .Milner says that Mr Atmore is "consistent." ' Finally, the reports of all Mr Atmore s meetings tell us that he has said every time that the Government has outlived its -usefulness and that the time has arrived for a change, but he remains weirdly silent on the most important question as to what is to take Reform s place. Is it United, is it Labour, or is ft iust Mr Atmore that he favours? It can hardly be the United Party, because of his bitter attacks on Sir Joseph Ward within the last few yef ?> apparently the vision of 'higher office is softening his previous attitude and his firm adherence to independence It can hardly be Labour, for he has reently made similar attacks on that pSty-on both policy and personne . I fact not so long ago at I.tvercarg.ll Mr Atmore issued erne of Ins. numerous aiie r';ih d Mrt ST&&& She either of these parties, we are t V„«i fn the conclusion that he favours 5 Atmo, e oSy-"" P* ,10 *°& +w nf destructive criticism against save that ot »™. have not ye t Mr Atmore in this campaign, and strong 'rtnfirKrnea^^ £i:^VL\'whole tr try at the present time.—l am, eic £ UCK i Nelson, 24th October.