THE REFORM PARTY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 2 June 1930, Page 8

THE REFORM PARTY

“A BLUNDEIJ” “It is \o be hoped that the local Reform organisation will not; repeat' the blunder of excluding the newspapers from a meeting attended by two hundred and fifty people, “comments the Christchurch “Press,” a Reform Party supporter. If there were a better me-' thod of reaching the public than .through the Press the,organisation would be eh'-, tilled to use it, but until a better method has boon found it is merely foolish and offensive to treat the electors as they were treated on Wednesday night. The supporters of the Reform Party throughout Canterbury arc not children who cannot be trusted to keep their heads when the Party wheels begin to revolve, nor are the supporters of the other Parties so utterly ignorant and simple’ that a Indl can. lie filled to overflowing and the meeting still lie “in committee.” Even if it had been wise, in theory, to restrict the voice of the' host political speaker in the Dominion to those who could bo packed into a single room, it would not have boon common-sense in practice to try to do it—for reasons that everyone out of his political swaddliVig clothes must understand. But it was neither necessary nor seemly to call for a Reform rally and then tell all those .who could not attend in person that they were not to know what the others had said and done. Except for legitimate committee business, which docs not require the attendance of two hundred people, political mystery is political stupidity. Throughout the whole duration. of Air Downie Stewart’s address the Leader of the Labour Party was addressing in a much bigger hall, not merely Itis own followers hut all who chose to listen to him, and doing it in the presence of the representatives of four newspapers. Yet Air Downie Stewart has tho best political head in the Dominion, the host political education, the, best method of saying, things which even his opponents cannot help feeling persuasive and interesting. Tie is indeed the only man between Auckland and Bluff who commands attention, whenever and wherever lie speaks on a subject of first-rate importance. So while Mr Holland, with the aid of the newspapers, to which lie is entitled and

which wo rlo not grudge Him—whilo Mr Holland speaks to . evoryono who can read, Mr Downio Stewart’s public are thoso who can bo in Christchurch at a'\ particular hour on a particular night and get into the Automobile Association’s rooms. It is time the Party’s organisation understood that : - the political medicine-man is about as useful nowadays as a town-crier, apd a good deal less attractive.’*