A DAMNING RECORD

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 10

A DAMNING RECORD

1 WAMM CONDEMNED OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF ITS FRIENDS . V Sir Joseph Ward and bis supporters appeal in their speeches to the Tecord of Ballanee and Seddon. ' ' Before voting for any Wardist candidate the clcctor should recall tho record of Wardism in office. . j What was that record? Below wo give testimony to tho failure of Wardism, its lack of courago and conviction, its opportunism, its rail-sitting. This testimony comes not from tlio mouths of its opponents. These words; which should for ever make the resuscitation of Wardism impossible, are from, tho months of four of Sir Joseph Weird's colleagues in the Cabinet, from the leading Wardist newspaper, and from lonff-tried Liberal members of Parliament. ' As you read these words ask yourself if you wish New Zealand public life to sink back into the slough of despond vhore Sir Joseph Ward left it. £|R JOHN FINDLAY'S CONDEMNATION. ■' It seems to me that-Liberalism is this'year to be given its - last chance; If '. ... tho Liberal Party,is to be left w-jth no cleat outstanding differences from the Massey Party, it must, in my.judgment, cease to have any ical existence and survive merely in name -ft mournful example of W great pristine vigour, through listlessness and timidity, ainks to impotence and ineptitude.. ; . - ; ~ , • V -Sir John Pindlay. on the Ward Administration m a e'gned article m the "New Zealand-Times'' on February 8, 191*-. MR. FOWLDS WASHES HIS HANDS OF WARDISM. / A party ciinnot live on traditions and nam? labels alone ... , Parties may even adhere to names while they entirely reverse their principles .; • . . . . Whenever a truly.democratic party arises in. this country—a party pledged to definite principles, and,which it is prepared to fight for-it will have my whole-souled support. . . . In the meantime I believe I can best -serve my country as a private member. —The Hon. G- Fowlds, on resigning from the Ward Cabihet in September, 1911. MR. HOGG SAYS "HURL THEM FROM OFFICEI" , , . I have no ttktee fcWa™ I . in thev constituted, and it would te M kg™***. to Ne,V Zealand ' f they were hurled out of office, . . . ~, ,• -Mr. A. W. Hogs, ex-Minister of Labo llr in tJl ° War<J Cabinet, in a letter to an Eketahuna resident published in 1910. ... As for the Government's policy, I don't know what it is noir / I don't know that the House knows it. I don't know that the right lion, gentleman's colleagues know it.. At all events, it was, never disclosed to me. ,1 havo had great doibts it;" very serious doubts. . • v —Mr. A. W. Hog?, in resigning from the Ward Cabinet in October, 1909. ' "WOBBLERS" AND "RAILSITTERS." ■ • I Tecognised after the last general. election that the Liberal Party, which has done so much good during the previous, twenty , years, had-got into a serious decline. I recognised when we came • here in February last that we met at the death of the Liberal Party. . ... I have recognised that during recent years the Liberals have suffered by allowing every wolibler that came into Parliament or stood for.election—every opportunist and railsitter. who. came hererrto tack himself on to.the tail of the Liberal Party.' . —The Hon.'lt. M'Eenzie', ox-Minister.'of Public Works, speaking in Parliament, : July 5, 1312. ' , "POLICY UNDISCOVERABLE"-SAYS, WARDIST PRESS. • Sir Joseph Ward" delivered n hat was called a policy speech at Auckland' the other day, ijiit when we come to analyse it we can discover no clear exposition of the Government's intentions, nothing that can be termed a "policy" in tho accepted meaning of tho word. . '.-Rhetoric is not precisely what the country needs at this stage. ' .• The "Lyttelton Times," the most influential newspaper supporting Sir Joseph Ward, in a leading article. February; 20, 1008. NO FIGHTING SPIRIT-SAYS MR. ISITT. ; • Tho. Government put out its feelers like a snail, and when it touched something solid it-drew them baclc. When remonstrated with the Government retorted thfft a.living.dog was better than'a deadjion. , —Mr. L. M. Isit't, Liboral member for Christchurch North, on .the. Ward Ministry in 1911. NO FIXED PfTINCIPLES—OLD LIBERAL MEMBER'S VIEW- ' He had gloried in .the'policy of the Liberal Party. He became a supporter ofthat" > party and followed them for years. . . . But ij-hat did he find to-(lnv? As he stood here to-day, a supporter of that party, he found that they were absolutely departing from anything that one might be prepared to concede as Liberal principles. —Mr. Boss, Liberal member for Pahiatua, in Parliament, November 18,1913. MR. POOLE TAKING NO RISKS. Some were very reputable men, nnd some were not 60 reputable; somo he would trust with all he possessed, and some with very little. —Mr. Poole, Liberal member for Auckland West, on the Ward Cabinet of 1910. '•••," ' ■ , LOWEST DEPTH IN SIXTEEN YEARS. It is tlis most incongruous fabinet that I have seen during ■ iny sixteen years as a member of the House.' —Mr. Graham, Liberal member-for Nelson, on tho Ward Ministry in 1909. "A LAUGHING-STOCK. TO THE COMMUNITY." -We have marched into the fi ring-line, determined to do or die . . • in the interests of the people.' And before we have got.well into the line the bugle'has sounded the retreat,, and we have , marched'off the battle-field—a laughing-stock to the community. —Mr. Poole, Liberal member for Auckland West, in Parliament, November 16, 1909. ■ " COUNTRY , LED AWAY - FROM HIGH - IDEALS. Tho country lias been gradual ly led away from high political ideals -during the last'eight, or nino years, until we luivo a leader of. tho Liberal Party nnd no programme for that Liberal l'arly. There is .110 reform or principle to which a Liberal candidate iji--now. pledged at the general election. —The lato Mr. T. E. Taylor in Parliament November 16, 1909. What was the "cause of. this chorus of condemnation P , . ■ Wardism )acke<| ideals. Wardism lacked fixed principles. \ " Wardism kicked grit and determination. . v That-is the testimony of Ward'am's friends when Wardism • held office in New Zealand.'.. ' What has -Sir Joseph Ward sineo done to inspire confidence? Did he'inspire you with confidence when he left-the National Government without a. moment's -warning to .renew the old party wrangles? - Do his-'promises of'great expenditure cause you to trust: him? ' Ho sought-before to. buy -tho confidence of tiie people with their own money —and failed. In his third year of office he had allowed his expenditure to get so fair ahead of revenue that he had to /dismiss 910 Civil Servants to make ends-meet aftain. He holds out a Isn't of cheap houses— at tho expense of the depositors in the Post Offico Savings Bank,, and the rest of tho people who do not get his cheap houses. last election, in.l9M, lie promised a great scheme to reducO | the price of meat, bread, and coal. Hi; said he had been studying it for twelve months, and would introduce it if put in. < Did he bring'that scheme forward vhen he joined the National Government?—No!; .• Does he promise,to bring it forward if returned to office this year?—No! -What lias t!wt Wardist election bait of I'JH boon worth to you?—NOTHING! What reason have you to think that the Wardist election promises of this year will be worth any more, to you?—NONE! - MUT,.THE DOOtt ON WARDIST EAILUUE. . . VOTE I'OR THE PAUTY THAT JIAKHj GOOD.

Wrong fljain. One of .Mr. llornsby'a boasts is that the Liberal -Party, cut up four or livo estates in Wairarapa, and tlmt'since then the Ketorm Government has (iot puichased one estate for subdivision and settlement. Incidentally he claims credit for all the achievements of the Liberal Government, although he was not oven a member of the Ifcuse u hort. some of Hie deals went through. ~ There would bo something in his point if there had been no subdivision since tho Keform Government came in in I'Jlt. It lias often been declared by Mr. Massey that the fiovernmcnt•cannot buy land for all .applicants and his policy .has been to entourage private owners to subdivide. One of the subdivisions was actually made by Mr. A.. ]).' M'Lecd, the Reform candidate. ■ The "HauloUra" estate had been offered to'the Wardist fiovernmcnt ond refused ' by them. Mr. M'Lcod bought in 11112 the -whole acres, kept for himself rind two of his brothers 6IKIO acirs .in M), mid .odd the rest in fcitirilier lots, .and there 'are 12 fauiil.es on the block now. .Within tivo years _L':Ul.o3o was' spent <)n improving tho lan.i , , , Two blocks of Crown land have been subdivided, "ITaurangi" and "HiromAlso portions of th?'following holdings have b-'Mi subdivided, for soldier settlement: "Pihimtrn" (Mr. John IVilwil 1 , "I'litnrur.iuri" 'Mr. E. V. liuldifoi'd), ''llreineeneth'' (Mr. H. lleetham). "Kototawa" ( 'r. W. fi. Kidwill). "Otnraia (Mr. Arthur Martini, and Mr. C. Elgar is offering some of his "Kautara" estate In addition "Whangamoana" w'as subdivided and sold by the Public 'frusteo.

Still "a Fiuhtar. . Mr. C. If. Wilson, who is contesting the M'nitomo seat in the Keform iiitbri-st, lias hardlv men tinned parties cr party politics lit uny of his meetings, beinx fully occupied with questions of'policy .ftrnl L'ovc.'iiir.ent on broader lines.. The other night, however, in .Answer to a nnestioner .who. impugned his independent u.'fcitude on the ground thnt he was crede'.crmined to support .Mr.. Massey azainst Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Wilson siiov.Td tll.it he had not lest his old flffht'njj spirt. "Sir Joseph," said the sneaker, "doesn't piny the game. Mo whs given nn ef|ii«l shave of'government v.'irh Mr. Massey, lie bargained astutely for the most important portfolios "and got what ho asked; he enjoyed a full share of the sweets of office, and thought a wealthv man. put the country to no end of unnecessary expense—for it wan not asked that New Zealand -should send two representatives to 'he. Peace Conference. Tinrinc: all that time he never lifted his voice amnios 1 ; any oF Ihe evils under which lie now finds the country to lie grnanin?; and yet immediately lie broke with Mr. Messey (llree minutes he. tolls ns it took him to make up his mind) he and his followers set. up a pitiful wail throughout the country ahont the domestic. legislation that has been neglected. Tf his heart was in these reforms, why didn't lie use his term of en-equal power to brinit them into effect? No; he likes the privileges of office, and yet to be in a nositioii to holcT *!io other fellow resDonsible for the mistakes. Sir Joseph Wnrd is a very clever bird, but ho does not even begin to play tho game."