THE POLITICAL ISSUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14984, 4 May 1912, Page 8

THE POLITICAL ISSUE.

REFORM PARTY'S STANDPOINT

A .REPLY TO MINISTERS.

SOME TELLING POINTS.

Tan political situation is increasing in interest every day, as the opening of next session draws nearer, and tho leaders of both sides are hard at work hardening up that mysterious quantity known as "The Country." Latterly tho Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet have gone on tour in an endeavour to convince electors on some point or other; exactly what point is not clear, unless it bo that Cabinet has buried the last. Speech from the Throne, together with tha famous flag that was " nailed to the mast." The Leader of the Opposition is smiling that quiet smile known as the Massey smile, and is apparently quite content to sit tight and watch members of the present Cabinet making the most of their little day.

He is not talking to interviewers very much at present, and when a Hituid representative sought a reply from him to recent utterances of Ministers, Mr. Massey, who was very busy, asked Mr. F. W. Lang, M.P. for Manukait, and a prominent member of the Reform party, to reply for tho Opposition. Tho Wooing of the Parmer Mr. Lang, without hesitation, made a vigorous and forceful reply. Ho said tho Prima Minister was touring the country, carefully cultivating the idea that tho present Cabinet in general, and ha (the Prima Minister) in particular, were devoted to tho interests of the farmer. Mr. Mackenzie omitted to correct the impression that he himself was a farmer. As a matter of fact, Mr. Mackenzie was not a farmer, and never was a farmer. If tho Prima Minister was so solicitous for tho welfare of the farmer and the interests of freeholders, why was it that when he had the opportunity of forming a Cabinet ho excluded farmers from it? The only member of the Cabinet who by any stretch of the imagination could bo called, a farmer was the Hon. W. Macdonald. Then, if the Government was in favour of the freehold, why was it that the Cabinet consisted of three Ministers who favoured the freehold, one whoso opinion on tho point had never definitely been shown, and six others who were well known leaseholders? The Government attempted to lead the public to think that the vote of want of confidence moved by Mr. Massey, was lost by tho reading of a letter by Mr. Massey. It was nothing of the kind. That did not alter the situation one iota, for the way the voting was going was apparent long ere that. The only thing thut saved tho Government at the moment was the promise of Sir Joseph Ward to resign, because th© member for Otaki, who would otherwise have voted for the motion, voted | against it on the understanding that the i then Prime Minister would hand in his resignation. if Sir Joseph Ward had not■ definitely promised to resign tho Government would have been defeated. What an extraordinary position was now revealed. A Ministiy to govern the country was elected by a caucus of a party only saved from defeat by the casting vote of tho Speaker, and the promise of a Primo Minister to resign. That Mi.i'at ry did not face Parliament, and has not yet met either Parliament or the country, yet it had put off tho session till the latest possible moment, and set off round the country on an; electioneering tour at the country's expense, drawing full travelling allowances and scattering profuse promises right and left that it cannot hope to ever fulfil. It took upon itself to make contracts and make appointments without knowing whether it possessed the confidence of Parliament, and with the fairly sure idea that it does not possess that confidence. While tho Cabinet was on this electioneering tour, how was the work in Wellington getting on? It was easy for Ministers to go round the country making promises they would never be called upon to keep.

Governor's Speech Thrown Overboard. Mr. Lang was asked to speak on the present Cabinet's policy, and he at once asked, " What is it? I certainly don't know it. The caucus decided, in electing the Cabinet, that the policy of the last Speech from the Throne was to be the policy of tlie Government, but the Ministry lias evidently cast that overboard now. At any rate it is like a poor relation, it is never mentioned by Ministers. The Opposition said the last Ministry . was not fitted to control tho affairs of the country. The Government caucus decided that only one member of that Ministry was fit to retain office. Was that not carrying a vote of want of confidence?"

Some remarks made by Ministers recently to tho effect that Mr. Massey was the advocate of ..the largo landowners, were brought under Mr. Lang's notice. " What nonsense," replied Mr. Lang. r< I have heard Mr. Massey over and over again express himself as most emphatically in favour of tho subdivision of largo estates, and of the imposition of whatever tax was necessary to encourage or compel tho breaking up of largo estates; but Mr. Massey is also in favour of some discrimination being shown between the | landowner who makes full use of his land, and tho owner who is simply holding for speculation purposes." [ Mr. Lang went on to say that the at- ! tack made upon Mr. Massey by the Prime j Ministerin which the Prime Minister presumed to accuse the Leader of the Opposition of political unfair play in declining a pair for Mr. Wilford, who was not sworn in, and who had refrained from .asking for a pair— particularly uncalled for, in view of tho wire-pulling indulged in to defeat the no-confidence motion, and in view of the fact that the Government elected to take office by virtue of the support of two men who had promised, to vote for the motion. The Governor's Speech policy had apparently been abandoned in favour of the policy the Reform party placed before tho country last election. It ill became the present Cabinet to talk of political unfair play. The Two Leader?' Records. The Prime Minister, in Christchurch tried to tell the public that tho present Cabinet had the support of the country. The present Cabinet had not tho support of the country, and never had. It had not even yet met Parliament. Tho Prime Minister 'took upon himself to interfere with the affairs of the Reform party, and was gradually becoming more and more abusive of Mi*. Majssey. He (Mr. Lang) could assure the Primo Minister that tne Reform party required none of his advice, and that, as*far as Mr. Massey's followers wero concerned, there never was a moro loyal set of men nor a party that had a more thorough appreciation of its leader. It would be WIT for Mr. Mackenzie if his party believed in him as tho Reform party believed in Mr. Massey. There could not be a comparison more to Mr. Massey's advantage than a comparison between his and Mr. Mackenzie's political records. Mr. Mackenzie presumed to say Mr. Massey bungled tho last campaign. Any schoolboy knew better than that. Mr. Massev gained eloven seats at Inst election, and ho gained exactly the same number at the previous election. Mr. Massey took up the leadership at a time when tho party was in very low water, and lie brought "it into the best position it has occupied in 21 years. " I am not. surprised at Mr. Mackenzie," added Mr. Lang, " trying, togother with some others, to injure Mr. Massey in the estimation of the people, and to injure our party at the same time, because Mr. Mackenzie* and his friends fear Mr. Massey, and fear the Reform party, but wo know know Massey a nd trust him, and m also know Mr. Mackenzie." a u®, d ' , in conclusion - that Mr. Wr \r! talked about a dissolution, but Mr. Mackenzio know very well tint i soluhon would not '?■ ,m T the defeat of «>» Ministry. Before a dissolution .was granted totS 68 of the Houso mußt bo «