The Star. WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1923. MR MASSEY AND THE BY-ELECTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17036, 9 May 1923, Page 6

The Star. WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1923. MR MASSEY AND THE BY-ELECTIONS.

The Prime Minister has been at some pains to explain why he took such an active part in the Tauranga and Oamaru by-elections. Me seems to feel that some apology is required for the neglect of public business which occurred during- his electioneering campaigns. Mr Massey justifies his intervention by quoting- the example of the late Ml' Secldon and his colleagues, who set the fashion of invading electorates in the interests of their party. He would find it difficult to prove, however, that Liberal Ministers devoted themselves exclusively during- by-election campaigns to the service of their candidates. It will be recalled that when Mr Seddon first entered an electorate to assist a candidate there were tremendous howls of indignation from the Conservatives, the direct ancestors of the present day Reformers. They alleged, that his entrance amounted to intimidation, or something worse, and that it was designed to destroy the free and unfettered choice of the electors. Much water has flowed under the political bridge since those days, and the presence of a Minister in an electorate other than his own has become a- mere commonplace. It was reserved for Mr Massey to set the new fashion of the Prime Minister putting his own candidates- into the background, and inviting the electors to choose between, the Opposition candidate and himself. In Tauranga Mr Massey became Mr Macmillan, and in Oamaru he became Mr Lee. Mr Massey probably entertains some doubts about the success of his experiment. He won at Tauranga, and lost at Oamaru. He was entitled to regard the Tauranga fight as a crucial one, because the immediate fate of the Government was in the balance. He had no such excuse at Oamaru, though no doubt he attached great importance to the seat, in the hope that a victory would give his Government a stability which it does! not now possess. If he had gone to- Oamaru and g-iven a couple of addresses his visit would not have aroused any hostile comment. It is certain, however, that his longcontinued participation in the campaign, when he supplanted Mr Lee, was resented, and it was probably a factor in bringing about the defeat of his candidate. The result was a distinct blow to his prestige, and probably Mr Lee and his supporters are still wondering whether they would not have won if Mr Masseys had kept away.