The Sun SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1014. A BROKEN PLEDGE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 253, 28 November 1914, Page 8

The Sun SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1014. A BROKEN PLEDGE.

So fur Mr G. "W. Russell has made no attempt to explain the compromising correspondence published in The Sun on Thursday, which Mr Isitt had with him on the licensing question. Mr Isitt claimed to have extracted a pledge from Mr -Russell, on the formation of the Mackenzie Ministry in 1912, to support the- 55 per cent, majority. About a. couple of months later" he found Mr Russell wobbling on the subject, and he wrote him a letter dated May 15, 1912, which contained these sentences: —

"Yon will remember that in an interview I bad with you prior to tbe formation of the Cabinet you promised me definitely that you would support the 45/55 on national prohibition. After the formation of the Cabinet you repeated your promise, and told me that I was at liberty. to make it known, and I at once apprised the Rev. J. Dawson, secretary of the Alliance, of the position."

Mr Russell did not reply to that letter, and on March 16 of this year, when th 6 matter Avas being ventilated, Mr Isitt wrote a letter to the newspapers, in the course of which he stated: : —

"Knowing that Mr Russell was likely to be included in the Mackenzie Cabinet, I approached him to ascertain what his position would be in reference to the three-fifths handicap. Mr Russell stated that he was pledged to the three-fifths, but when the time of that pledge expired he would be prepared to support the 45/55 on the national prohibition issue."

On that (late, Mr Isitt was stiH of the opinion that Mr Russell would keep his word and come before his constituents at the present elections, as a supporter of the .55 per cent, majority, for he closed bis letter.with the following significant sentence:—-

"I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES MR RUSSELL WILL FAIL TO FULFIL HIS PLEDGE." .

Mr Russell has not fulfilled that pledge.. He declared again the other night that he was solidly supporting the threefifths majority. . Surely the electors of Avon are entitled to some explanation. Mr Eussell's insincerity on the question of land tenure,, compulsory military training, and proportional representation has brought him a notoriety which probably no other public man has ever attained, but his contortions on these matters are trifling compared with the repudiation of a specific pledge to adopt a certain attitude on the licensing question. Unless Mr Russell can put himself right with the electors on t'his matter, what possible reliance can be placed on anything he may say or undertake during thg.present contest?