The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News. The Echo and The Sun FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1943. SUMMING UP

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 227, 24 September 1943, Page 2

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News. The Echo and The Sun FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1943. SUMMING UP

•section campaign which will close tc-night the people have had they could wish of hearing expositions of the ■ t ' ' -_ major parties. They know what each stands for, and what each stands against. They have also gained some idea of the character and ability of each party's candidates. As usual in election campaigns, there have been side-issues raised, incidents have been magnified beyond their importance, and there has been some resort to name-calling; but the main issue has not been obscured. It is whether the Labour Government, judged on the record of its administration over eight years, and its promises for the post-war future, deserves to be confirmed in office, or whether it should be replaced by the National party, which, after an equal period in Opposition, with new leadership and a marked invigoration of its personnel, is confident of its ability once again to control the'political destinies of the country.

Many people, with much reason, regret the party struggle at this stage of the war, or in wartime at all. They are convinced that the problems which lie before this Dominion, not only after the war (which may not end in the term of the incoming Parliament), but before the warends, are of such magnitude and complexity that their solution will be impossible without a very high degree of co-operation between Government and Opposition. The National party, judged by its manifesto, shares this view. If elected, it will endeavour to form "a truly non-party national Government," which would introduce "no contentious V-.rty legislation." The Labour party, by contrast, intends to carry on with a purely party Government, and use its majority to .pass any legislation it desires to pass. The legislation it will desire to pass is not necessarily indicated by, nor confined to, the promises or statements in its election platform. It will be influenced also by the decisions of its governing body, the Easter Conference, which can be convened, if thought necessary, at other times in the year. If the Government through force of circumstances believes it necessary to alter or reverse the- policy for which it now asks the support of the electors, it will seek the authority, not of the electors, but of the Conference. The last time it did so was in respect of an issue, the conscription of men for overseas service, upon which it was already assured of the .support of its political opponents; but that is not a necessary condition. If elected, it could take an equally important step in the face of its opponents' opposition. The system which makes this possible is not in harmony with responsible democratic government as N?w Zealand has known it; but it is the Labour system, and the tinie when its dangers should be appreciated and weighed by the people is now.

It should be iinnecessary to point out that every elector has a duty to vote. This is the only time when the people can show that they are the masters of their political servants. If they neglect the opportunity, they will have no reason to complain of the consequences. For the same reason they should use their votes and not waste them. The fact that, under our ""first-past-the-post" system of voting, votes cast for candidates of either of the two major parties have a much greater value than votes cast for independents or minor parties is, not unreasonably, resented—but resentment does not alter it.