A MEAN IMPUTATION.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13756, 23 June 1913, Page 3

A MEAN IMPUTATION.

What did Mr. Allen moan' by his*

statement in Dunodin that the "Reform" Government was living a cleaner life financially than the Government that had preceded it? Is this a,"recrudescence of the despicable and contemptible suggestion of "pickings" from loans that was unscrupulously made, but never supported, some time last year? (asks the "New Zealand Times"). Coming from a politician of tho yoars and expedience of the Hon. James Allen r this insinuation amounts

to a, direct charge, and should be accepted and treated as,such. As a mere reckless assertion, whatover its motive may be, it is discreditable and unworthy of any public man unless.he has the courage to come forvyard and ofror some justification for its uso. We have

no hesitation whatever in saying that Mr. Allen can not and dare not do so. In any case, 'what evidence have wo beyond Mr. Allen's word that his Government is living a cleaner life than its predecessors ?, If wo . may judge by its rocords in other directions, "Reform" cannot be taken on trust, and its pretensions of superior honosty, which may or may not be warranted, are not calculated to convince the

country that Sir Josoph Ward was dishonest. Politics have sunk to a low level when innuendo such as this is tolerated, as a method of political warfaro, to discredit an opponent.