LIBERALISM.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 283, 28 November 1919, Page 8

LIBERALISM.

hy Arrangement.)

i ■ , ITS ASPIRATIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS. No. 5. CUSTOMS TARIFF. Far beck in its history New Zealand declared for Protection as its established fiscal policy, and it has certamly hud no reason to regret that decision. L"he Liberal Party has been Protectionist oecause it has found by experience that Protection answers in practice to tneone sufficient test, "the greatest goott for the greatest possible number. But twenty years ago a considerable revenue wos derived from the taxation of imported goods—mostly among the "necessaries of life"—such as we cannot produce for ourselves. These duties were levied "for revenue only"; but it was clear to Sir Joseph AVard and his colleagues that (more especially because there was no local production of such commodities) they pressed with undue severity upon the poorer classes. Under such circumstances there was only one thing for a sincerely democratic Liberal to do, and Sir Joseph Ward did it. The revenue was sacrificed, the duties were repealed one by one; till in the end our breakfast table was free, much of our clothing and nearly all the necessaries and many of the commoner luxuries of life were free, and the people of New Zealand daily and increasingly reap the benefit of "the statesmanlike wisdom which postponed every other consideration, political and financial, to the necessity for securing and maintaining"the common good-" H.M.s. NEW ZEALAND. It is late in the day to ask ourselves what we owe to the British Navy. But long before the Great War brought this truth home to us, our Liberal statesmen had appreciated the fundamental principle by which we must stand or fall—the necessary unity and solidarity of the Empire, f-o they began by paying a substantial subsidy year by year toward, the upkeep of the British Navy. When, twenty years ago, the great struggle in South Africa broke out, -Mr. Seddon led the way for the Dominion-., by dispatching our contingents to play their gallant part against tlie Boers. It was in this same spirit that Sir Joseph Ward presented the battle-cruiser New Zealand to the British Navy. This momentous step was taken with the full concurrence of the Liberal party. But it is also important to remember that Sir Joseph took this course in the face of bitter opposition from the parties which in various ways represented different forms of that Conservatism which has alutays been, as it is to-day, Liberalism's inveterate foe.

PREFERENTIAL TRADE. In another sphere of political action the Liberals have been able to display their enthusiastic- loyalty to Britain, and their devotion to the Imperial cause. When the great movement in favour of Itmperial reciprocity was begun, New Zealand, under Liberal guidance, was one of the foremost of the Dominions to offer preferential terms to British trade in the colonial markets. Sir Joseph AVard has always recognised both the commercial and the political value of a closer connection between Britain and her dependencies on the basis of a community' of material interest, and it is iargelv owing to his efforts that New Zealand to-day gives substantial encouragement to Britain's trade by receiving all British imported goods into the markets on far better terms than those conceded to her foreign rivals.

THE TRANSITION STAGE. Of the many other measures in which Sir Joseph Ward emphasised once more the basic principles of Liberalism, and gave fresh proof of his own statesmanlike wisdom and political skill, it is impossible to speak at further length. It is enough to say tlmt Sir Joseph Ward throughout worthily sustained the splendid traditions of Liberalism, adding continually to his high reputation for brilliant political thinking and gaining fresh laurels on a far wider stage among tlie great statesmen assembled at the various Imperial aud International conferences at which he represented New Zealand. But in 1911 there came a change in the political fortune-- of Liberalism. Although the Liberals had secured more votes than their rivals ut the polls, vet the final returns gave .-ir Joseph AA'ard so small a margin of superiority that he refused to carry on. Sir Thomas Mackenzie then .took charge, and in the interval between the two sessions of that year, four members who had been elected under the Liberal Hag deserted to the enemy. The .Mackenzie Ministry was thus short-lived. Mr. Massey came into office with the first "Reform"" administration.

Again, in 1914. after the war had begun, the three parties—Liberal, Labour, Reform—went to the polls; and though just before the election the "Reformers" had a majority of eight, yet. in spite of Air. Jla-seeys appeal to the electors to avoid the risk of "swapping horses while crossing the stream," he failed to secure a majority. However, through the unfortunate mistake of a returnin-r officer in counting tha votes for one electorate he was able to continue in power.

THE NATIONAL GOA.ERNMENT.

But by this time the war had grown formidable. Its duration was Indefinite, and its issue seemed doubtful. The freedom and well-being of every part of the Empire was clearly in great jeopardy. The Liberal chief, for patriotic reasons, agreed to a party truce and bent all hia energies to the work of facing the. common enemy. While the Coalition lasted, he was the head of the Finance Department, and he closed his brilliant career there by leaving behind; him in the Treasury an accumulated surplus of more than fifteen million pounds.

At the earliest moment after the close of the war, Sir Joseph withdrew from the National Government, for which he considered there was no further necessity, as its one reason had been to help win the victory, and the agreement specifically stated that the compact was "for the duration of the war.'' \ f ree man again, he at once appealed to the people on behalf of the Liberal partyHe now faces the constituencies, with "a" fine record of patriotic service added to a great record of Liberalism, in the ■founding and developing of which, he played so large a part.