MIXED POLITICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 85, 23 November 1911, Page 8

MIXED POLITICS.

(To the Editor “Stratford Post.”) Sir, —I hear the Opposition are reforming. It is time they did something. They have opposed every reform for the last twenty years, and voted for Territorials and Dreadnoughts. Now they have a league —half a league. Oh, the wild charge they made! “Charge the big guns,” no said, and Hit a man lie had united out. Someone had blundered! Noble six hundred (L.S.D.)! Now Captain Hine is assailing the pigeon holes—forelorn hope. Hope deferred maketh him tiie insincere friend of the working man. Mr Hine says, “Raise their wages.” His party says, i-x----pense, extravagant. Let ms Lust chat with reform they receive the spirit of constancy, consistency, and endeavour to curb that green-eyed monster, jealousy, and pray that Jack will lose his penchant for reading confidential letters, and that they light as clean as their forefathers, the gallant Stonewall Jackson. They are prepared to join hands with singletaxers and extreme Labourites or any other party to oust the present Government. How could they form a Ministry out of such a diversity of opinion ? The Tower of Babel would be as nothing to it. Mr Hine, at the opening of the Toko Hail, spoke very highly of the Hon. T. Mackenzie, and was sorry he was not there that evening. At Stratford, Mr Hine spoke disparagingly of the lion, gentleman. But in the course cf these remarks lie paid Mr McCluggago a great compliment when he made it appear that ho would sooner contest the Stratford seat against Mr Mackenzie than against Mr McCluggage. He is right. The latter is dealing with noxious weeds and a farmers’ bank—they have had agricultural banks in Australia for years, and he is advocating a State Farm in Central Taranaki for the purpose of raising and cheapening cattle, suitable for dairying, to give the farmer of small means a chance to have as good a herd of cows as His neighbour of the wealthy class. Mr Hine advocates that married men’s food should be taxed less heavily than single men’s. How many Customs officers would be required to carry this out and see that no single man oat the married man’s food, and thereby evaded the revenue. Ho lias admitted himself i single-taxer in more senses than one. Try another plunge! Reform! Reform!—l am, etc., FARMER.