THE OPPOSITION CAMPAIGN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 429, 11 February 1909, Page 6

THE OPPOSITION CAMPAIGN.

These have been a good many Opposition functions of various kinds since'. the General Elections, and at all of these gatherings the same hopeful tone has been noticeable. -Last evening's gathering to do honour to -a defeated candidate, Mr. R. B. Williams, was no exception to this rule; and it is quite evidont that the successes achioved by the party .have had a stimulating effect on the rank and file as well as on the loaders. This is a hopeful sign for advocates of good government. There is already, reason to believe that the Government has taken the lesson of. the elections to heart, in part at least. There I are signs of a desire to curtail extrava.gance in various directions, and . some anxiety has ; been shown to : assure the country, that ' Ministers ; are; fully, impressed .with the need for care and econoiay. While this is satisfactory.'so. far,as it goes, 1 and .while Me. Massey. can claim credit' for. having: forced Ministers to be on their: good behaviour, he and his followers have something more to do. They have to. keep Ministers up .'to tho mark and. to, see. thai, the professions bo , freely made are put into practice. They have; moreover, to forcethe Government to.see that certain lines of policy at present persisted in- ; are, bad for tho country,'; and this, in'view, of the influence exercised by the labour ..'party 'and the. past pledges of. Ministers, is 'no light, task.,; Mr.. Mas■rasY,' however, has made it quite plain that he'does not shirk that task. : Compared with: the odds-which he. has had to' : encounter in l past years, his position.to-day is a; strong one,;'and offers opportunities for. effective work, which; if he turns them to full account, should do him good ser'.vice. with the'country. .His closing remarks last evening when he. summed up the political'situation as viewed from the Opposition standpoint may'be taken 1 - to indicate the lino proposed to be followed by : his party, during;the present' ment, and .it is., a line of. policy .-...which : should commend itself .to'all right-think-'iri'g people: •', ".'."''' '. ".'■.'.. ';.'.. ;;' ..Whatthoy were'going to do in Parliament,' lie said, would depend very greatly upon circumstances.' But ho believed'what happened at. the elections showed;-this: that the people of New Zoaland. had discovered'that the present administration had been, characterised ;to avory great.extent by waste and cxtrava-' gance; Ihey. had discovered that' the cost,of' government had gono up out of all proportion to the population, and. that the oxpendituro had" gone up. out'.of all .proportion to-tho .revenue; and .that.where:the interests:of the party in.'power clashed with the,interests of tho country,; the' interests' of; .the country took second 'place... They had'; discovered that "measures, .were -very often introduced: by, the"' Government and rushed '.through". Parliament,'without'.sumcicnt. consideration being given.thereto; and the' consequence .'was that hardship,' loss,,and inconvenienco were caused to, many -.very, important sections of the community. -He spoke for the party to which ho had .the. honour to: belong; and : ,ho wished to' say that it'would be tho 1 duty .of tho Opposition to .insist,:whenever it was'possible to_ do, so, upon the .business ', of ..tho country being' conducted;;on • more ;sano, more . sensible.: and mora satisfactory, methods.. It would bo' the 'business, of tlio Opposition 'to look specially, after financial matters, and to put; the-real financial-position: before'the poople'of the country, : so that they might bo. able to judge_ far themselves,- rather than' .accept-.the- fictitious position 'very often put forward by the.present party in power. That would bo'the duty:of the' Opposition.' ■

Mil. Massbv • will find; : as he no doubt anticipates, that ,the task of elucidating the ..financial situation is no .'light'one. He will discover, it easier to induce the .Peimb ' Minister' to' go : slow in the matter of public .expenditure, for. we beJoseph. Wabd now realises.,that .'the extravagance of | recent: years; cannot be maintained. Meanwhile.'th'e.Leader of,the Apposition is acting, wiselyin keeping the aims of his parfcywell before.tho:. country.. It is -the* weight, of public feeling throughout the Dominion, rather than the added ; numerical strength .of.th'e pp,ppsitibn ):: that:has Caused' alarm in the 'Ministerial camp, and'the Opposition'cannot be fully effective ' : as'-.a.--, check -on unless it takes care to keep-the .public'., well-' ih- ; formed on the questions of the hour, and so strive.to stimulate the interest of those who'have most at stake. .''The Government for some' years past has had almost a monopoly 6f political rallies and party gatherings of a', like -naturej but the tide now appears to be moving in the.other, direction, and in this fact lies promise of a_ keener, scrutiny 'of Ministerial actions, and, ■■ as a consequence, more wholesome conditions in the administration .of .public: affairs:"'- •' ■ ■■■•■ '■;•'