“TORY”

Northland Age, Volume XVI, Issue 17, 26 November 1946, Page 2

“TORY”

Sir.—ln the course of his address last Thursday night, at the Princess Theatre, Kaitaia, Mr. S. Smith, National Candidate for this Electorate, mentioned the continued reference of the word “Tory” as applied to his party, and admitted he did not know the “meaning” of this word. Consulting a large dictionary, compiled from the works of Johnson, Walker, Webster and Worcester, I find that the word Tory is said to be derived from an old Irish word denoting a robber or a savage, or from ‘Toree,” give me your money . . . one who seeks to preserve the present constitution and to uphold royal, ecclesiastical and aristocratic institutions, as being themselves right and good, and who is adverse to any change, especially in the way of extensiori of democratic power ... an advocate of class dstinctions and privileges, as opposed to the republican theory of equality ... a member of the conservative party, as opposed by the Whig, radical or progressive pgrty.” Under various aliases we now have the same fundamental party with us -—Tory, Conservative and National. Yours, etc., THE ANVIL.