PLAIN TALK

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8365, 27 February 1913, Page 6

PLAIN TALK

The squatters’ organ, with that char» acteristic abusive untruthfulness which its capitalist owners probably regard as good value for the wages they pay, declaims against its opponents in these violent and unrestrained terms; “Those anti-Rcform newspapers which arc finding relief for their feelings just now in wild attacks on the Government, based on their own garbled and distorted versions of current happenings, are hardly werth notice.” Now, as a matter of sober fact, tho Liberal newspapers, which arc described as anti-Ro-form, have made no wild attacks. They have, in moderate terms, stated serious charges against the Government in connection with tho spoliation of the public estate. Those charges have not, and cannot, be answered. They have shown that the freehold of public lands i being parted with at one-half its value. This is incontestible. They have made pointed reference to the fact that the interests of the Maoris are not being protected from tho land sharks in the disposal of their estates. “Reform” is silent, but not ashamed in tho face of the evidence furnished. They have given convincing proof that, while conditions are being made much better for the higher-salaried officials in, the civil service, the rank-and-filo are not getting fair play. “Reform” has denied, and contradicted itself, and then, with the facts before it, has adopted a policy of stubborn silence. They have reminded “Reform,” in mild though certainly reproachful terms, that we were promised an examination of tho pigeon-holes that was going to expose unexampled corruption and wickedness, and that, though there has been ample time to ransack every pigeon-hole, the apostles of unsullied purity have no evidence to offer of any corruption. Finally, the Liberal press has asked Toryism why it calls itself “Reform” when it has not attempted to make any reform and is not, in any sense, a reformer. These things have been written about with extreme moderation and self-restraint by the Liberal press, hut there have been no wild attacks. Tho methods and weapons of scurrilous vituperation belong exclusively to the squatters’ organ. They have not been, and are not likely to be. imitated or employed by the Liberal press.