THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

Temuka Leader, Issue 5794, 23 March 1909, Page 1

THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

AUCKLAND, March 19.

Mr W. V. Masscy, rt>plyiny this afternoon to the .statements made by Sir'-.Joseph at Lyttelton, renmrked : "Jt is not necessary for nie to go hack fourteen years to prove that appointments to the public servire were often made for political purposes and party 1 purposes rather than on account of special merit on the part of those appointed. J' have already given a pretty L r "od list, and L think I could add a few more if it were necessary to do so, and I suppose what is going on in Auckland is going on in other centres of the dominion. Personally, 1 am very well pleased that by his repeated denials Sir Joseph Ward has called public attention to the matters in dispute. # As leader of the Reform Party I am' anxious to have all appointments to the public service made according to fitness for the vacant positions on the part of the candidates. I. am anxious to see the l'p|H'r House made responsible to and representative of the electors of the dominion. 1 want to make it possible for the Ministry in olli'-e for the lime beiri!/ or f"* anV candidate to ; ,11.■mpt, to iuQucnce- the elections by sumreslions of public expenditure. I want to see-the country governed in the int"rests of the country, and not in (he interests of the party in power and their hantrers-on, and if th«» little discus-ion that has taken place between the Prime Minister and myself tends to that end. then the put forth will not have been wasted."