THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23592, 31 August 1938, Page 14

THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

TO THE EDITOB Sir,—May I compliment Miss Shackleton and yourself on the excellent piece of propaganda in the interests of Mr Adam Hamilton in your issue of Saturday? It is even better than her recent effort in the National News, which was headed "A Leader is Made." In that it was so clear that if either Mr Coates or Mr Forbes, or both together, had not both failed and been dismissed by the electors, Miss Shackleton's "Leader" would never have been " made." It is not always possible to indulge a fancy in hero worship and at the same time earn an honest penny. Miss Shackleton has evidently succeeded In doing that. In Saturday's article we learn a lot about Mr Hamilton and are treated to some private views of the Leader of the Opposition. It is a pretty picture, but it is not true—unless the Mr Hamilton we knew in the depression days when he was a member of the Government was a masquerade. Miss Shackleton's camera is badly out of focus. The Opposition tea party—whether morning or afternoon is not plain, as on Miss Shackleton's authority they drink quite a lot of tea in the Opposition's room—must be a touching experience. Mr Hamilton at this gatherins is presented as an almost mythical person—a political plaster saint minus a halo. It appears that at these gatherings Mr Hamilton indulges in a lot of innocent musing, but in this case he was musing privately—for publication —with Miss Shackleton as the reporter. May I quote this bit of it:—" On the refusal of the B.M.A. to co-operate further with the Government, he said. 'That must have been a body blow/" It was designed as a " body blow." to use Mr Hamilton's pugilistic expression, bv the leaders of the 8.M.A.. uncompromising opponents as they are of Labour in New Zealand' as elsewhere, and as the British Medical Association was an uncompromising opponent of Erogressive Liberalism, led by Mr loyd George in Great Britain over 20 years ago, when he was fighting for a national health insurance scheme. The rank and file doctors came over on the side of the people in Great Britain all those years ago, and the " body blow - failed there as it must fail here. Later Mr Hamilton mused some more, but this time "the challenging note was stilJ in his voice." Here is the " muse ".*-—" I would say to Labour, 'lf you want to pass as followers of Seddon and of Liberalism throw aside this Socialism, and we will respect you.'" I would like to -remind Miss Shackleton and Mr Hamilton that those who held political opinions like them when Mr Seddon and Liberalism were trying to liberate the people and assist them to overcome the effects of oppression put on them by their previous Conservative rulers. Mr Seddon was denounced as one of the worst of " the seven devils of Socialism."—l am, etc.. Live Elector.