EXIT WARDISM.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14294, 4 March 1912, Page 7

EXIT WARDISM.

j WHAT NEXT?

WILL THE TAIL WAG THE DOG?

jMR MASSEY PUTS THE POSITION. 1

(srr.ci.vi. to "the i-kess"). WELLINGTON, March 3. j Mr Massey, leader of tho | Party, leaves for Auckland to-morrow. jln an iutorview with your correspond- j j ont this afternoon, he expressed him- j i self as quite confident that no pcs- ! sible Cabinet that conid be formed out | jof tho remains of tho Liberal Party, j ( could hold office for moro than a few | weeks after tho meeting cf Parliaj mc'nt. This seems to be borne cut even by members of the Liberal Party. Several of the more shrewd members of that party moke no secret of the fact that so far as they are concerned, they cannot sco daylight through tho ' political fo_ in which they aro at pre- ! sent enveloped. They also admit that i tho country, which is now 50 largely ; behind Mr Massey, will never agree jto bo dragged at tho heels of the j two pledge-breakers. If this is to bo j tolerated, it will bo tho old story cf i tho tail wagging tho dog; indeed, it is jno secret now that the Labour mem--1 hers iv tho House havo decided to throw in their lot with the proposed ultra radical administration, for tho simple reason that they realise they j can squeeze that party, because it is i in tho weaker position, and cannot :mt j without their support. But, in any I case, the ultra Radicals, so far as the j Reform Party is concerned, aro welcome to the pledge-breakers, under J ! whoso tarnished aegis Wardisni has ( made an inglorious exit from tho Par- ' iiamentary arena.

The position from Mr Massej's point of view, is an exceedingly simple ono. Forty-one members • have been returned pledged to oust tho Ward Government. In addition, thero is an Independent, who has condemned it moro strongly than many a member of tho Reform Party, yet voted to keep it ; n office. His political inexperience may, perhaps, be some slight excuse for Lis speaking one way and voting another, and as timo goes by, ho may havo his eyes opened politically. He was expected, even by the Ward Party, to voto consistently with his expressed opinion, but he disappointed his friends by voting for the party that he had to vigorously condemned. Two members who wero plcdgod to voto against the Government betrayed tho party thatsecured their return. Thus, tho division resulted in a tie, and the Speaker, according to precedent, gave his casting vote with the Government.

There is, Mr Massey points but, ono very extraordinary feature connected with this result that should bo remembered and emphasised. It was this: Some of the votes secured by the discredited party, were gained by means of an assurance that Sir Joseph War! and his principal colleagues would resign from the Ministry, and take their place among the rank and file of the party. Had this promise not been given, there is ample evidence to show that tho vote of no-cdn-fidenco would havo been carried. This, Mr Massey points out, must surely oo a very humiliating position tor the present Prime Minister and his colleagues to find themselves in. But Mr Massey goes even further than that and asserts that it is amott improper attempt to defeat tho will of the" people as expressed at the polls; it is an attempt that will be frustrated by tho peoplo themselves. The machinations of the clisappointed party's machine organisation may succeed for tho moment but in the end they can never triumph against the people's will. In the meantime, though they have not yet reached the Treasury Benches, Mr Massey and his party have gained their first victory in the cause of reform, because the present Government must go out of office.

' But in regard to tho present position," said Mr Massey, "there has never. I sunpose, been a parallel to it m any country in tho world. The House adjourned and Parliament "has been prorogued in full knowledge of tho fact that in a few weeks the present Government will go out and another set of men will step into their shoes. Tho latter—it is not known oven by the party who will be their leader or Ins colleagues—will administer the affairs of tho country, though neither Parliament nor the peoplo may havo any confidence in their policy, their composition, or their efficiency. This is surely tho acme of undemocratic government. Tho strongest party in the House is . undoubtedly tho Reform n art X. ; ll l a a ?9 Hd bod 3 r of 38 men. Un tho other side'there is a hefcorogeneous and disaffected party of 34 Mmisteralists, with whom are allied 4 Labour menbers. two Independents, Mr Speaker, and Mr Wilford (who is absent in England, and who may possibly not approve of what has been done on the strength of extraordinary promises and broken pledges). "How is it possible,'? asks Mr Massey, "for any Government formed from such a party and under such circumstances to sail the troubled political 6eas. For the moment the ship of state is rudderless. The crew in the shaoe of the people had provided a new rudder, but tho officers in tho shape of tho Cabinet have refused to ship it, and in the meantime further damage may be done. I don't wish to uso strong terms about what has already taken place, but it seems to mc there is only one way out and that is an appeal to the people. I certainly do not wish to rush the country into tho turmoil and expense of another election, but the coming session of Parliament may show that there is no other wav out of the difficulty." '