The Dominion. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1911. THE PUBLIC CONSCIENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1309, 12 December 1911, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1911. THE PUBLIC CONSCIENCE.

Sixes tho first ballots on Thursday last the country has been in 'a simmer of .excitement regarding the possibilities of the final result of tho elections. Must people recognise that whatever happens the Waisd Administration will, ba in a parlous position, and', cannot possibly have a majority in 'Pavliam.pnt without the assistance of tho Native vote ami the Labour vote. It is at such a time that tho evils associated with the second ballot system are seen in their true light. It is at such a time that this demoralising system gets in its most deadly work—that anxious candidates throw to the winds their principles and past pro fessions, and yield to the temptation placed before them to compromise with their consciences. It is nndov such circumstances as exist to-day in tho election struggle now proceeding that the time-server and opportunist, whose only concern is to retain his seat or gain a place in Parliament, throws off the cloak of political righteousness and brazen iy and unashamed panders to the particular interest which he thinks will best assist him in his purpose. SinceFriday last ivo have seen some vcvv painful exhibitions by candidates, but the underground engineering that has been going on, which can be imagined from what has come to the surface, is infinitely worse, and must be repugnant to, and win the contempt of, every citizen who has any regard whatever for what is clean and straightforward in our public life. For ourselves we cannot bi'hcvo that those who are scheming and planning and balancing are going to profit by their efforts, anymore than Sir John Findlay profited by the insults which he placid upon the intelligence of the electors of Parnoll by his extravagant and ludicrous promises and his silly flatteries. The public have been sur- [ felted with trickery and sharp practices in the conduct of the affairs of the country, and arc heartily sick of it all. They want pfein ' dealing for a change. In Wellington City and Suburbs the candidates who have been put forward in the Labour interest, and who. have been successful enough to get into the second ballots, have suddenly discovered that they have a great deal in common with the Wajid Administration, which the Labour party has so bitterly condemned. We cannot say whether these three candidates are acting on the instructions of their executive or whether 'it is their personal anxiety to secure the seats they are standing for, that has caused them to play the role of Mr. Facin K-both-ways. Their attempts to fill the role of advocates of tho interests of Labour, while they at the same time pose as friends of tho Government that has dragged Labour at its heels and mado use of it or cast it off as suited its purpose, for something ike ten years, is a degradation of the cause of Labour. There are many points on which we are in antagonism to.tho Labour party, but wo have never failed to recognise and give it credit for the fact that it stands for certain fixed princip es, and that it places those principles above all else. To-day those principles are being made a secondary consideration to the political ambitions of the candidates who poso as tho representatives of LabOul i ci ? rc confidenfi that the rank arid We of Labour are entirely out of sympathy with the Wαhd Government, and that they realise- that the tuture of Labour is dependent on a complete severance of its ties with a party which has no fixed principles beyond the retention of office. Labour, in fact, lias failed to make tin; progress which it should have made in the past because its leaders have been tempted from time to time, by tho wiles and bribes of the Government to continue an alliance, all the advantages of which are with the To-day, uti a critical juncture in its career, tho rank and

file of Labour are. being asked to sink their antagonism to the Waiid Administration, and to stultify themselves and to degrade their cause in order (hat certain of their leaders may, by committing themselves to support the Ooveniineiu, gratify their desire to secure iilaces in Parliament.

Nothing could be more likely U damage tho caifse of Labour "thai [•lie behaviour of its candidates lefi 111 the second ballots in Wullinjjtoi City .and Suburbs. Instead of ; straight-out fight on the merits n! their otvn platform, they are at tempting to trim and hedge and as soeiato themselves and their pnrt\ with the deadliest enemy the Laboifi causo lias ever had. We make nr secret of the fact that we regard tin Labour party as preferable to the present corrupt Administration. De spite the foolish abuse of Messrs M'Laren and Hindjiarsh, we urg. all who are anxious to secure reforir to vote for the Labour candidate ir preference to the Government candidate where the fight is between the Government and Labour. Mr VEi-rcn, for instance, at Wanganui 13 infinitely preferable to Mi;. Hogan, a docile supporter of Wardism. Mn. Robertson, in Otaki i< far preferable to Mr. Field, whe walks meekly at the heels of the ward .Administration. Every ivorker for Reform in the Otaki and ttanganiii electorates should record heir votes next Thursday for Mr. \eitch and Mr. Robertson. In Wellington City and Suburbs they should vote for the Reform candidates, Messrs. Wrigiit, Fisher Newman, and Bell. We believe that there are many in the ranks of Labaur who will prefer to vote for tli» Keform party as straight-out opponents of the Ward Administration rather than vote for the Labour candidates, who are shuffling or ang,s °"V ight f P r t!l ° Government vote. Tlie public conscience has been awakened to the evil influence of Wardisin on the interests of all sections of tho community, and the people are determined that the Ward Administration shall be removed from office at all costs