The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, MAY 9, 1912 THE HON. GEO. LAURENSON’S SPEECH.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10, 9 May 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, MAY 9, 1912 THE HON. GEO. LAURENSON’S SPEECH.

The Hon. George Laurenson gave Ms promised address at Stratford last evening, and lhad no cause to complain of the reception given him. Possibly, 'however, too much was expected in the way of politics pure and simple, - and sometimes more than a repetition of much that we have heard before,' many times and oft.' Mr Laurenson is a practiced platform "speaker and is generally worth listening to, but he did not reach his highest level last night. From Ins utterance regarding the overwork to which Ministers are subjected, Mr Laurenson evidently docs not find his lot an,easy one. But if the Instances ho quoted are characteristic of his methods, he will find his hands very full indeed, and it is questionable whether he is acting within his proper province. Mr Laurenson’s statement of the good work done by the Liberal Party was fair and logical, and his defence of Sir Joseph Ward an honourable tribute to the Party’s late chief. The rather surprising reference to newspapers and newspaper editors was certainly an effort of pure imagination, and the picture drawn of the hired villains of the pen who live solely to villify public men, almost too screamingly funny to he presented from the public platform at a sober political meeting: it ought to have been reserved for some other entertainment. It is also news to learn that newspapers in Taranaki are falling into the hands of tire “wealthy conservative classes:” we have not heard of,any instance yet. We believe that the newspapers of New Zealand are as cleanly conducted and actuated by as high ideals as are the press of any country in the world, and Mr Lauren."son’s general .condemnation was in exceeding bad taste. In one ■or two instances, it is true, certain journals have probably exceeded all fair hounds in their zeal for party, but this is the exception, not the rule. Very possibly Mr Laurenson did not mean quite what lie said: if that is the case, he should say so at the earliest opportunity.