THE GREY LYNN PLEDGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14924, 23 February 1912, Page 4

THE GREY LYNN PLEDGE.

Sir.ls it to bo assumed from the utterances of certain persons at and after the recent meeting of Mr. Payne's labour su „. porters (hat the pledge given hy him mi order to secure the help of" Opposition voters to put him in is binding only with a mental reservation that, he need not keep it in case it turns out inconvenient? It was regrettable to read in the report that one person suggested that the pledge should be buret and that this suggestion was cheered. That would be setting tip that a man* word is i rot his bond if not in writing, and even if in writing need not be kept unless it suited. Such a teaching honest labourites repudiate, Air. Payne undertook to vote against •ie Ward Government on a no-conficenre motion, and no amount of casuistry call excuse the failure to carry out such under- 1 taking. Should the plea, of "the end.justifies the means" be put forward in excuse, then voters belonging to parties other than our own in an electorate could never' agrvj to assist a Labour candidate in considers tion of any pledge he might give to them. : because of this new teaching, that a pl»dg« i l-j only to bo kept if it suits, so to do, would I ;be subversive both of honour and confidence. | As a worker I certainly repudiate sncli V® I doctrine. ~ A WobkKi. I