The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1914. THE "REACTIONARY TORIES."

Southland Times, Issue 17609, 25 March 1914, Page 4

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1914. THE "REACTIONARY TORIES."

Apparently a. section of the Opposition's platform speakers and newspapers propose to assist their party at the nest elections by painting the Reform party as "Tory reactionaries" of the blackest hue. One would have thought that this old myth, having been well worn three years ago, would have been discarded for something with a fresher and more presentable appearance. At the last elections the people were cautioned and warned with astonishing persistency that if they wished to save the Old Age Pensions Act, the Advances to Settlers Act, the Factories Act and all the other legislation which had been passed by benevolent .Liberal Governments for the benefit of the people they must keep Mr Massey out of office. They were told that Mr Massey was the friend of the monopolist and of the capitalist, and that if he got into power the monopolist and the capitalist would soon be treading the workers under their feet. The probability is .that not a few votes were influenced by the fears thus scared up, but as the Massey party has got into power, and as none of tluo MoiUniinm: nf dire disaster

have been fulfilled, the gag is not likely to prove effective again. What has happened since the Massey Government came into office? So far from repealing the legislation of which the Labera! party is so justly proud the Massey Government has extended and improved it. In addition it has passed new Acts which have been sufficiently enlightened and progressive to command the support of many members of the Opposition. If the Massey Government was “reactionary” in anything it would be in its land policy. It has. passed two Land Acts, both of which were supported by Sir Joseph Ward, the present Leader of the Opposition, and several members of the Mackenzie Cabinet, which was commonly described as “radical." Indeed, the Massey Government’s policy is of such a nature that members of the Opposition are not ashamed to* say that it was stolen from them, and it is quite certain that not one of them would ever confess to having anything in the nature of a “Tory” or “reactionary” proposal among his political possessions. The member for Nelson, who is much on the platform these days, and who, by the way, owes his seat in the House largely to the votes of Refotm supporters, is very fond of attacking monopoly and vested interests. He describes Hawke’s Bay as “a big sheep run.” Well, if monopolies exist and if vested interests have become too strong, who is responsible, but the party which was In office for twenty years, during which time it commanded majorities so large that it could do exactly as it pleased? If Hawke’s Bay is "a big run,” as Mr Atmore says, what clearer evidence could there be that the Liberal land policy failed? These charges and allegations share with the Australian native’s boomerang the peculiar capacity of returning upon the head of the man who throws them forth. If monopolies and vested interests are entrenched, as some of the Opposition critics say, and if there are enormous tracts of land still in the hands of single owners the electors cannot very well avoid asking themselves what the Liberal party was doing in all its long years of office. Mr Massey cannot reasonably be asked to do in a couple of years with a small majority what the Liberal party failed to do in twenty years with overwhelming majorities, and half the critics who are now fulminating against the “Tory reactionaries” are virtually condemning the present Government’s predecessors.