The Dominion. MONDAY, JULY 20, 1914. ENTHUSIASTIC REFORMERS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2206, 20 July 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, JULY 20, 1914. ENTHUSIASTIC REFORMERS

- .. o •..—- ' The striking feature 'of our party politics during.the past three years..-undoubtedly has beein the growth and enthusiasm of the Reform movement. While the decline of the Continuous Government no doubt set in shortly after Sie Joseph Ward's elevation to tho office' of Prime Minister, the growth of the Reform Party was not'very marked until more recent times. Sie Joseph Ward's failure as a leader, of course, had a great deal to do with the change of public .feeling. The distrust which arose in' consequence of' the secretive methods associated with Wardism; the obvious bankruptcy of ideas and lack l of guiding principles amongst the leaders oi tho party upon whose shoulders the mantle of Me. Seddon had. descended ; the profligacy of promises, and the paucity of performance; the fondness for titles, and the weakness and vacillation and time-serving all contributed to turn the public ags.inst the Ward Administration. But it was not until 1911, when the Reform leaders began to tour the country systematically, aad got into personal touch with the pcoplo through tho public platform, that any real enthusiasm for the Reform cause began to lie.manifested. Then the people commenced to realise that Reform,_ instead of standing for retrogression, as had-been represented by its opponents, really stood for progression on sound and definite lines- ■' From that time the popularity of 'the Reform Party in/;reascd in a quite remarkable mr/iner. No longer was tho support accorded it half-hearted, and no longer was it confined to aminority of the pooplo At the elections in 1911 Wardism was routed, and -tho Reform Party bocame the .strongest party in the New Zealand Parliament. With the aid of certain Labour and Independent votes, Sib Joseph Ward managed'to cling to office for a bviil term, but since the elections of 19U the Reform Party has been the strongest individual party in the House; of Representatives,, and the strongest party in the country; No one. can dispute this, oven though some of its opponents may profess to believe that tho Government does not represent a majority in the electorates. . ; Those who view political matters dispassionately cannot fail to have been greatly impressed with the evidence which has been afforded during the past few clays of the enthusiasm and earnestness behind the E.eform movement. No political party in this country, has ever .been able

to bring together anything approaching the great- gathering of delegates from the various branches of the Reform League which assembled in conference in Wellington last week. Some 250 men and women, representing all classes of the community 'and acting on behalf of the thousands of members of the Reform League distributed over the electorates throughout the Dominion, came hero, in many cases at a -personal sacrifice of time and money, to plan and organise the fight for Reform. It is a flattering , tribute to the Masses Government that after two years of office and in face of the systematic misrepresentation they havo been subjected to, they havebeen able to rally to their cause so magnificent a volunteer fighting force. But apart altogether from the party aspect of 'the movement there is to be found in it sound reason for congratulation from the national standpoint. _ The active interest of the people in public affairs is the best security the country could have against misgovernment. The more closely the electors follow political events, and the more keenly they scrutinise the actions of their representatives in Parliament, the less likely are those representatives to abuse the trust reposed in them. The numerous Reform Leagues which have been formed throughout New Zealand during the past three years have rendered a valuable service- to the Dominion' as well as to the Reform Government by educating . the public and by stimulating interest in political matters. No doubt they have been encouraged in tho work by the manner in which the Government which they support has endeavoured to live'up to its professions. Ministers have falsified all the prophecies_ of disaster which their opponents indulged in, and have shown an honest regard for the fulfilment of their pledges. Numerous reforms have been instituted ; the finances of the country have been placed on a sounder footing than they have been, for years past; instead of reduced wage's and harsher conditions of employment, the position of Public Servants has been improved in all directions; and • tho country generally Iwas never in a more flourishing condition. Small wonder is it in such circumstances that the supporters of the Reform movement should be' full of enthusiasm and actively bestirring themselves to secure the continuance in office of the Government which has already done so much to redeem its pledges. That their activity is stimulated by the knowledge that the defeat of the Government would mean a reversion to worse conditions even than those which existed under Wardism is evident. They recognise, as most people now recognise,, that the Wardists havo no chance of regaining office ■ save by means of an alliance or a working arrangement with the Red, Federation. . It is not difficult to picture what might bo expected to happen with a weak ' Government holding office at the sweet will of a' small band of Red iederationist members. It may seem unlikely that even with the aid of the Red Federation tho Opposition can regain office, but neither the Reform Leagues nor tho -general.!public can afford to take ' any risks in that direction. .The only safe course is to relax no. effort . to ensure that the Government will be returned with a sound working majority to; complete its work. '