The Advocate. [Established 1888.] FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1907. DOMINION POLITICS.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 296, 18 June 1909, Page 4

The Advocate. [Established 1888.]

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1907. DOMINION POLITICS.

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The short session rendered necessary by the departure of the Prime Minister to attend the Naval Conference at London has closed, and Sir Joseph Ward left Wellington on his important mission to-day. Parliament was entirely in accord with. the. Government proposals throughout. The Op* position gave a grudging support to the offer of a Dreadnought on behalf of the dominion to the Mother Country, but they determinedly opposed the suggestion that Parliament should . adjourn to enable Sir Joseph Ward to take advantage of the invitation, j In other words, they wished to have the opportunity of holding a session ■■ of Parliament with the leader of the Government in London. This preposterous idea* lVas strongly resisted by the stipporters of tho Ministry, and much valuable time was lost by tho reiteration of stale old charges of mal-admiuistration against the Government. Sir Joseph Ward is now engaged upon a national mission, but the Opposition would not riso above mero parochialism. 'About the only generous, action of that party was tho admission by Mr. Massey in his last speech before the adjournment ' of tho House that Sir Joseph Ward would represent tho dominion credit- , ably at the conference. Of this there i can bo no question, and it would . have been so much to tho credit of Mr Massey and his friends had they refrained from their petty attacks on s tho Government until tho ve-'assem- . Ming of the House in October. Judg- : ing by the attitude of the Opposition ■ during tho session, and their paltry 1 tactics in organising a /demonstration against tho Premier on the eve ; of his departure, they must bo sorely tried to find a reasonable excuse for the venomous hostility they maintained throughout the short' but memorable session which closed on Wednesday. Politics in this country appear to bo on a descending scale". Sir Win. llussell was not a strong man politically as a leader, but he : always "played tho game." Can as much be said for his \successor ? The Government has tho weight of the bulk of the people, as expressed at the November elections, . behind it.

The Opposition is as powerless now as it has been since the advent of the Liberals to office, to make any impression upon practical politics, and recognising this the followers of Mr Massey would have earned the respect of the country if they had simply recorded any protest they had to make, and then have abstained from endeavoring to further harass the Premier. By taking an opposite course they have certainly not improved their position in the eyes of .those who desire that the politics of the country shall be carried on with fairness and dignity.