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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9659, 17 September 1909, Page 4

Those who remember the former Royal Commission on the police force, will recall how a Government, which had demoralised the force, turned a very excellent Police Commissioner into a political tool. When Mr T. Taylor brought out evidence that might inculpate the Government, the then Premier sent to London for a new Commissioner. The inference, a very wrong one, was that the fault lay with the Commissioner, aud not with the Government. History is repeating itself with the present inquiry, which has been called "The Dinuie Commission," only this time a Londoner is the scape-goat. We suppose that throwing dust in the eyes of the public may be considered Statecraft, It is certainly craft of a somewhat despicable character.

For the Eangitikei seat, leaving out the votes given to nondescript uaudidates, wo find 11)5-1 Dallot papers were recorded in favour of the Government aud 1539 votes for the Opposition. Logically, the second ballot should return a Government supporter, aud yet Mr Hockloy, the Opposition candidate, headed the poll. The second ballot will teud to confuse any clear issue whichever way it goes. It may savo the Government from a defeat, but then past experience has shown that this second ballot is a boomerang apt to hit the Government which throws it, aud to miss the Opposition against which it was originally aimed. In this electoral game the ablest man, out of the six who entered, found it expedient to draw out. Ability is not wanted in the House of Representatives.