The Press. FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1814 The Rowdy Party.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14921, 20 March 1914, Page 6

The Press. FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1814 The Rowdy Party.

We suppose we ought to feel some satisfaction at, the obvious alarm of our "Liberal ,, friends and their leader at their incautious adoption of rowdiness as their new political weapon. Well, wo do; and although "Liberal" rowdiness is rather an asset for reform we shall yet be glad, on higher than party grounds, to see our friends behaving themselves a little better in future. That others besides tho Reformers, have taken noto of the new ' Liberal" , tactics is evident from the fact that the Dunedin

•'Star," which for many years has been the chief Southern newspaper supporter of Sir J. G. Ward, pays that ''it appears as if the Liberal ' management had decided on a po'.icv "of intrusion, and had adopted the -tactics of trespass." I t cites the two most recent eases of "Liberal" hooliganism, and says that ihey have

"'a rather sinister appearance." So much, indeed, the 'Liberals," who lately found it impossible to be otherwise than pleased at the disorder, have admitted. "VVhoro they were rejoicing, they are now calling upon '-every seif- " respecting elector - ' to '-set his face

'• firmly" against this unpleasing development of anti-Reform strategy. This. Ls nil to the good, ami we should say nothing more upou the subject were it not that even in their alarm and penitence the 'Liberals" are supporting an attempt l»y Sir J. G. Ward to excuse, on the preposterous ground that the Reformers ''began it. ,, the disorder arranged by his pupil Mr Atmoro and the outrage at Mr Fisher's meeting, which the chief Opposition organ applauded a-s 1- a wholesome " fact-" Tfco Leader of the Opposition cites the occasion upon which.

7000 or 8000 .Wellington citizens marcher! in orderly procession to the gates of Parliament House to protest against Ihe insolent trick of adjourning Parliament in 1000 because it was the wiii of Sir J. 0. Ward that the country's bu.-iness nrist await his pleasure. That protest was sound and entirely proper, and it is surprising that the Leader of tho Opposition .should bp bo childish as to snj that it can t > conioarod in any way with the new ''Liberal*' policy of liowlmjT down public men on the fteform .side. Still more fooliih and inept is his claim that the rowdy "'Liberals , ' are behaving as the Speaker nnd Chairman of Committees behaved last .vision when the Opposition attempted, by talking nibbisli for days, to prevent majority rule in Parliament. "No con- " side-ration,"' ho told a party mepting in Wellington on Wednesday, ''was 'given to the men fighting for froe'lom of speech. ,. Could anything be more absurd? The Opposition had talked for days, until they could talk no more. "'Freedom of speech" was not in tho question; what was suppressed was simply an attempt on the part of tlie minority, by dint of talking what whs admittedly irrelevant rubbish, to prevent the majority from giving its vote on a Bill. Sir Joseph Ward would have been wiser had he fimply condemned the new method devised by thp strategists of his party — '•the Liberal i7}magerr.ent,'" in the Duneciin '"StarV phrase—but ho seems fated to go on from blunder to blunder. The party's Ion? blundering into mare's nests, its blundering obstruction in Parliament, its blundering encouragement of tho strike, its blundering adoption of disorder and hooting as a final argument—seeing all this, tho cooler men of the party (if there are nny such) must have lived in a perfect nightmare of apprehension for the past fifteen months. And who can wiy what new foolishness will make them shiver afresh, now that tho "flying squadrons'' are letting themselves loese ?