MR SMITH’S FRIENDS.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 229, 13 November 1896, Page 2

MR SMITH’S FRIENDS.

(to the editor.) Sir, —I cannot understand how you can be so stupid as not to support Mr Smith and the Liberal Parly, or how Mr Brown and young Mr Bellringer can be so silly as to oppose them. Look at what the Liberal Party has done for its friends in this constituency ? During the six years that Mr Samuel represented New Plymouth out of all his supporters who returned him to Parliament I do not believe that one was made a J.P. even or that any of them got Government billets for their services. But during the last six years that Mr Smith has been in it’s been quite different, and his supporters have had their loyal assistance rewarded. I don’t keep a list but you only have to think of the most prominent of Mr Smith’s supporters at his election (many of them now backing him up) to to find that this is true. Messrs J. Ahier, Bellringer, Joe Ward, Goodman, Stock, G. W. Gane, Berry, Cock, Oonnett, Runciman, Allen Bell, and J. J. Elwin have all been made J.P.’s. Mr J. B. Roy has been made Solicitor for the Land Board (instead of Mr Standish) and Solicitor for the Government Loan Office, and his brother Mr Richard Roy, has been made a member of the Land Board, Mr Stock has been made a meipber of the Land Board and of the Education Reserves Board, Mr J. Bellringer has been made a Government Nominee on the Harbor Board, and so has Mr Joe Ward, and so has Mr Levi Sarten (who has also been connected with the Tikorangi Bridge) whilst even Mr Sam Hill has been made a Government Valuer, and Mr Dockrill a member of the High School Board, and Mr Smith himself is a J.P. now. If it wasn’t their efforts to get Mr Smith in that got these followers their honors, what was it ? You grumble at not having Government advertising but you have only yourself to thank for this ; if you support Mr Smith you would be as well treated as the “ Herald,” which has lots of advertising, and the proprietor’s nephew, Mr Shailer Weston, has got the billet of Returning Officer, I advise you to change before too late and support Mr Smith and the Liberal Party, and I advise all the Electors to do the same. There’s at least one seat in the Legislative Council to be tilled, and J.P,-ship can always be given without limit; and besides there are billets as valuers under the new Government Valuation Act, and those who can’t get these can get liberal treatment when they apply for loans from the Government. Mr Smith and the party he supports know well how to reward loyal servants and we have ourselves

only to blame if we don’t deserve their favors.—l am, &0., • A Liberal.