WANGANUI SEAT

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12824, 17 October 1911, Page 7

WANGANUI SEAT

MR C. E. MACKAY'S CANDIDATURE.

To the Editor

Sir, —Kindly allow me a short space in your valuable paper for a few remarks re Mr Mackay's opening address. On reading the report of Mr Mackay's speech I gathered that he is standing as an Independent. Liberal. Now, wo all know how long Independents remain Independents. Mr Mackay says as long as tho Government pursued a liberal and progressive policy ho would be pleased to support them, but no longer. Now, Sir, to my way of thinking, tho Government's policy is not progressive in many things, and I believe Mr Mackay will bare me out in saying this, for ho says the chief complaint he had against the Government wp.s .their lack of backbone. On no single point had they ever taken and kept a line of policy. They were continually tacking and shifting their ground, and evading knotty points. This being correct, the question is, is the present Government a progressive one? I should say without hesitation No. Then, if. elected, is Mr Mackay going to support such a Government, or will he adopt a more noble view and support the reformers? •If tho latter course is adopted, why does not Mr Mackay take a firm stand and ebmo out from among them and be a reformer, instead of half-and-half, trying to please both parties at the same time so as to catch votes from both sides? T trust the people of Wanganui will look ahead and put in a man who will be fit for a Minister in Mr Mas- , sey's Ministry in the near future. The time is now ripe for a change of Government, and the people of Wanganui should not lose sight of the chance of a lifetime. I think rail-sitters are of littlo use in the House, and less to the country, as they are always changing and chopping about. Mr Mackay said tho Opposition had no policy to offer, and no men to carry any policy.through. Now, Sir, what do you think of a statement of this kind coming from such a man as Mr Mackay, Mayor of Wanganui? Any just-thinking man will regard this as an absolute misstatement, as Mr Massoy and his party have the only true liberal and progressive policy worth striving to obtain. Mr Mackay ! also advocates a further loan of £5,000,----000 for development purposes. Would such a loan be spent o~n development purposes or would it be sunk in political bribery and corruption? If this continual borrowing is allowed to go on. the money-lenders of the Old Country will own the land instead of the men, women and children of the Dominion, as Mr Mackay affirms should be the ense. Re the land question, Mr Mackay is a leaseholder. The leasehold has been tried and found-wanting. It is an absolute failure, and no progressive candidate should go back so far as to advocate leasehold. Give the settlers the freehold and promote reform in every walk of life. The present Government is keeping the country back, and the sooner we bump them nnt the sooner we \\\\\ advance." We b-ive bad ouite enough of Sir Joseph Ward. Sir James Carroll and the rest of them.—l am, etc., REFORMER.