A QUESTION OF POLITICS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10958, 26 December 1911, Page 1

A QUESTION OF POLITICS.

Sir —Thanks for your very - f«H explanation of Saturday's local in your issue of Wednesday last. Is it any use twanging the Ivre to the tune of Tory, Torv Torv." and indulging m invective a-amst Mr Massev and his party (vide tlu- heading of your in the present ?tate of political feeling . J Witn vour widespread journalistic knowledge and extended opportunities-of obtaining accurate information, it seems useless to continue in this strain. The old Tory I'nrtv in the Dominion is almost as extinct as the dodo, and your sense of fairness to a political opponent will, I think, prompt yon to bend to the wishes of the people and at least allow the Reform Party a fair trial before further condemning them. Had Sir Joseph Ward not exhibited such a decided predilection for borrowing and spending at the expense of the coniitrv. things might have turned out altogether different. £81.000,000 seems an enormous debt for a population of about a million (including women and children), and. even supposing throefourths of that sum is reproductive, if the income is spent a.s fast as acquired it leaves the debt practically at the original sum, a big incubus on the shoulders of the breadwinners of the Dominion, who probably do not exceed 500.000 in all. It is to be regretted that in your article you should have deemed' it necessary to introduce the sectarian clement. Many of the most; worthy citizens of the Dominion are adherents of the creed alluded to, and they are deserving of the highest praise for the way in which rich and poor alike support their church and for-their evident sincerity in their religious convictions. lam convinced you will endorse at least the concluding portion of my communication, and, thanking you in anticipation,—l am, etc., RICHARD DUNCAN, North Road, December 21, 1911.