The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1911. MR MERRIES ON TOUR

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7448, 24 May 1911, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1911. MR MERRIES ON TOUR

It was so very thoughtful of Mr Homes to include Palmerston North in his speech-making itinerary that ho is entitled to some sympathy at the invitation to hearken unto Opposition criticism of : the • Government not having provoked, a bettoi* response from the community than it did last night. An attendance of about a hundred people was a rather poor compliment for Palmerston to pay' the visitor, but Ml Herries must take this mor© as an indication of public boredom than as disregard of himself. Tho electors in this part of tho country live under a perfect deluge of what passes as Opposition criticism, and find that it consists mainly of incoherent abuse and wild, reckless extravagances. Mr Herries, however, is one of tho few men on the Opposition side who steer clear of this sort of thing, and if tho citizens of Palmerston had desired to hear a plain, temperate statement of individual policy and the attitude of a leading member of the Opposition party towards the Government they had an excellent opportunity last night. He happens to bo able to state his case without calling somebody else a rascal or asking the public to regard him as the only honest man in the Dominion. However, it is not with Mr Herries personally that the community is concerned, hilt with his party, and while there may be some general wonderment to see that gentleman pulling an oar in the galley ho finds himself in'he cannot legitimately claim that his attitude towards public questions is that of his friends. Mr Herries may very properly feel aggrieved that the Government is not more radical, but it is merely inviting derision to suggest that this is tho complaint of the whole Opposition party. For twenty* years that organisation has declared that tho legislation passed by Parliament would bring the country to the verge of ruin. Even now Mr Massey bases his dubious claims for support upon “ the necessity for combatting Socialistic legisla tion, which is destroying public confidence and individual initiative.” So,when we have an Oppositionist finding fault with Liberalism for lack of spirit and expressing admiration for its work in the past while others of his party are denouncing the Government’s despotism and calling upon the world to witness the need to undo its work—when we have this paradox it is fair comment to say that our friends would be better employed putting their own house in order than in criticising the arrangement of their opponents’ domicile. Mr Herries expresses approval of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act; Mr Herdman tells us that “ capitalists will not invest money in New Zealand because of the Arbitration Court, the wild fanatic and th'e dreamy visionary.” Mr Herries wants a Railway Commissioner; Mr Massey is “dead against” such an appointment. ' Mr James Allen “ had never been able to make out what the Government policy was ”; Mr Herries, on tho other hand, declares that the policy pursued by Mr Ballance and Mr Seddon has done a great deal of good. We have no fault to find with Mr Herries on these points, but we must insist that if he wants to have “ no connection with the old Tory party which is now dead and gone” his real business is with the caucus he attends every session. The public cannot be expected to understand a party which speaks in so many different voices as the Opposition employs just now. If,they want to jettison the policy of the past, well and good, but if this is to be so we do not need to remind them that their jibes at Ministers will assume .1 new meaning. On the whole, Mr Herries has paid the Government a very handsome compliment, and it occurs to us that out of this speech and the little exchange of compliments now proceeding between Mr Fowlds and the Leader of the Of position a capital working arrangement might bo made. Mr Massey has asked Mr Fowlds to. deliver his Pukekohe speech in other centres of population. Mr Fowlds might make it a condition of compliance with this request that Mr Herries should repeat his Palmerston speech at every place visited by Mr Massey. The result, wo are sure, would be a much- better understanding all round.