The Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1922. MR MASSEY’S MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16904, 1 December 1922, Page 6

The Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1922. MR MASSEY’S MEETING.

The local supporters erf the Reform Party must have been grievously disappointed last evening with the speech made by Mr Massey. They had anticipated that their leader would get a rousing reception, and that he would respond with a great, speech. The Reform Press, of course, professes to regard the v\ hole visit as a sort oi triumphal affair. That, however, can not be the honest opinion of any intelligent observer. The reception accorded Mr Massey was decidedly mixed It is a question, indeed, whether a majority of those present at the meeting were Reform supporters. Though the Prime Minister was given a fair enough hearing it was evident that there was strong opposition in the audience, and that it was not dissipated by the character or quality of Mr Mas sey’s arguments. The speech itself was a poor one. and suggested that Mr Massey had mislaid his oratorical punch. Half an hour before he finished people were rising to leave the building, thus giving a very practical indication that they found the Prime Minister’s message flat, stale and unprofitable. Mr Massey endeavoured to stop the exodus by informing the audience that he would be through by ten ! This simple little incident furnishes an eloquent comment on the journalistically dishonest assertion that the Prime Minister made a fighting speech, and that the meeting was an enthusiastic one. The facts are that the speech was a dull affair, and the meeting was far from being either unanimous or enthusiastic. It was a half and half sort of affair, and it failed to pass the ordinary test of ability to hold the audience. For such an experienced speaker Mr Massey is an indifferent tactician. He permitted himself to be diverted from his subjects by any sort of interjection, relevant or irrelevant. He sacrificed the continuity of his argument in ■order to make attempts to score off interjectors. and h? was not conspicu oxisly successful in his efforts in that direction. From anv point of view that one mav take the speech was a frost—a killin - fist It had no message, rru. :• ■' d arning touch of feel ing or ir.v.- •, • • It was not oven n of current poli the H '".uindgivipg the suffering rvd r. rehash of his fnmilii: - ■■ t-nde. but never pro \ f except 1!i 3 It was perhap*. < hurn.-ieri-t of Mr Massey that lie \ i ii :t : !\ to tin- plain question put V,- V/dfwd nt bis Christchurch mooting, which v a-: “If the party led by me ■ - returned to power with one more support or than Mr Massey, will Mr Masset join with Mr Holland to pul us out? ’’ The Conservatives profess to he very much perturbed about th? bogey -of a Liberal- Red alliance, but their leader i« silent when confronted by a question which would bind him if he answered it without equivocation. Mr Massey has frequently made use of the foolish and futile statement hy Mi H. E. Holland that Labour would help the Liberals into power and then dictate their policy. The Liberals, of course, would not accept Labour support on anv such terms, and they have denied that they have made any bargain whatever with the Labour Party. Mr Holland might attempt to play the little comedy which ho visual ised. but how could he turn the Liberals out even if he put them in ? The answer is: Only by the help of Mr W. F. Massey and the Reformers who profess that they would not he found ir the company of the Reds under any

consideration. Mr Wilford asked Mr Massey to state whether he would join with Labour in the manner suggested, and Mr Massey was silent. On the question of proportional representation Mr Massey was quite hopeless. He condemned the system on various inade quate grounds, and contended that a Government would not hare a strong party behind it when a crisis fame. As a matter of fact, a Government elected under proportional representation would have the country behind it in a crisis, and the first demand of the country, in view of past experience, would he that both the Government and the Opposition should continue to discharge their proper functions—the one constructive and the other critical Mr Massey held out no promise of ! electoral reform. His promise of | something better than the Second Ballot Act has not been honoured, and the minority serving system of first I past the post is to continue. It has served the Reformers well in the past, and they arc no doubt hoping that it will accomplish something for them next Thursday. In Canterbury their hopes are built on what the split vote may* accomplish in Avon. Christchurch Christchurch South, Riccarton and Kaiapoi. tinder a proper system ■Reform would get what it was entitled to. and no more, hut that does not suit Mr Massey and his followers. Christchurch has to thank Mr Massey for an exceedingly dull evening inside the Theatre Koval . and a lively if not exactly inspiring one. outside.