AN INDEPENDENT LIBERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12551, 14 July 1905, Page 2

AN INDEPENDENT LIBERAL.

To the Editor.

Sir,—"lt has been definitely announced that' Mr. R. M. Gatenby, the local chemist, will stand as an inde^ pendent Liberal for the Wanganui se*tj at the next general election"—so runs' a paragraph in your ' 'Personal" column in this morning's "Chronicle." Now, Mr. Editor, what,do ypu think of.i this announcement? T don't know, of J

course, but I will tell you what I, for one, think. It is absolutely ridiculous, r if not ludicrous- Just fifiency for a moment anyone going into Parliament under the present regime as an "Independent Liberal" 1 Why, thei-e is no such person in existence, as has already .been proved, if the proceedings so far as Parliament this session, as reported ia tho local papers, are correctly repqrtetL Is it to be supposed for a moment that King Richard IV., our masterful Premier and Leader of the "great Liberal party, would" tolerate an "Independent Liberal"? Not for a •moment. Every member of the New Zealand Parliament of Representatiye3j I mean) must either be for ov agaihst King Richard. In every division'that takes place in the House on any question affecting the party and the Government's measures must re-

spond to the crack of the Liberal whip and march into the right lobby when the division is called for. Any member not doing so would quickly be told to make his choice of two courses, viz., either to vote for the Government baldheaded or join the ranks of the Opposition; no middle course would for a .moment be tolerated, and quite right 100. Therefore, it is absurd for Mr. R. M. Gatenby, or any other candidate for Parliament at tho next general election, to try and get in as an "Independent Liberal." 'It was said by a greater tfhan King Richard'lV., nearly ICOO years ago. "He that is not for us is against us," and Premier Seddon may say, "Any one who tries to get anto Parliament as an 'Independent Liberal' is not a true Liberal, but a hybrid sort of thing; therefore he cannot belong to us; we will have none of him; let him join the Opposition straight out!" Mr. Gatenby should, therefore, make up his mind soon to be either a supporter of King Richard's or a pronounced opponent. He will never get into Parliament as an "Independent Liberal" member—for Wanganui, at any rate.—l am, etc., A CONSERVATIVE.