COUNTRY'S NEED

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 73, 27 March 1930, Page 8

COUNTRY'S NEED

POLITICAL STABILITY

FACING THE ISSUES

Ey "Searchlight." If the recent speech by the Loader of the Parliamentary Labour Party (Mr. 11. 'E. Holland) did not disclose any very sinister intention towards the Government next session, all doubt has now been removed by the declaration mads at Ngatea by the Deputy-Leader of the party (Mr. M. J. Savage) that if the Government proposed to do what the Labour Party wanted, the Labour Party was not likely to vote against it. As Mr. Savage's opinion counts for practically as much in the Parliamentary Labour Party as does that of Mr. Holland, whose leadership is not now regarded as being as luminous as it was a few ySars ago—at least, before Samoan affairs were so mistakenly dragged by him into the realm of New Zealand domestic politic?, some serious attention must be paid to what Mr. Savage has had to say. Mr. Savage has the reputation of being a man of cool, collected judgment, not given to heat even in the most exciting and bitter moments of debate and when he speaks in Parliament lie never fails to command respect. He does not believe in wasting words, aiid when he speaks he means what he says. It may be taken for granted, therefore, that he was not speaking idly when he declared at Ngatea that, the Labour Party intends to dictate to the Government next session the course that it shall follow. WHAT WILL GOVERNMENT DO? In the face of such a plain-spoken threat, the question arises whether the Government will calmly bow its head to the coming storm and then acquiesce r the demands put forward- from the Labour benches, or whether it will take its courage in both hands and resist the brazenness of" its quondam friends. There does not appear to be much room for compromise. Is the Government in a -position to take a leaf out of Mr. Ramsay MaeDonald's book, and threaten to selsk a dissolution unless a definite guarantee caa bo given that it will be allowed to carry on with its work? To sustain defeat on a division ,in the House is a humiliation to which noGovernment can look forward with equanimity, and this being so, there may bo some truth in tho rumours lnow current that the Government contemplates assuming the offensive by asking for a dissolution at an early date. It is certain that1 some members in the United Party cling to the belief that an election will be the best means of clearing the political atmosphere, particularly as a movement is reported to be on foot to form a new party from amongst the Independents in tho House whoso support the Government can no longer count on retaining in all emergencies. Certain comings and goings in Taranaki have not gone unnoticed and have caused ilutterings in influential quarters. Mr. Savage has come to the same conclusion as Mr. Massey did, that Independents are "no good to anybody" and are only "a humbug," and it seems that the timo has come for the United Party to give some endorsement to this view also. CONSTITUTIONAL ASPECT. The political situation grows more perplexing every day, even as it becomes more menacing to the Government, and it is made still more complex because of the doubt whether the Government is entitled to ask for a dissolution before meeting with defeat in tho House. If, apart altogether from health reasons, the Prime Minister should resign and intimate to His Excellency that he cannot carry on the Government of the country because of the threatened intransigeance of the two (or three?) opposing parties, will he be entitled to obtain a dissolution? Authorities differ on the point. On the other hand, should Sir Joseph Ward deem it advisable to resign because of ill-health, his resignation will automatically carry with it the resignation of his Cabinet. Can this eventuality afford whoever is chosen to form a Ministry in his stead a pretext for obtaining a dissolution before the meeting of Parliament so that the opinion of the country can be ascertained? These are questions which- arc- being discussed in political circles, but the constitutional position is clouded by reason of tho existence of three political parties.' Mr. Coates can claim that he cannot bo leftout of the picture, while Mr. Holland has more than ouce voiced the fervent hope that he will not be overlooked in the' scramble for officci Mr. Coates is now leading the strongest party in the House, and if the Government went out of office before next session he would naturally consider that he should .be called on to form a Ministry, unless, of course, a dissolution were granted. But this is the very last thing that the Labour Party would wish for, as Mr. Holland stated only too plainly last session that in no circumstances would his party vote with Mr. Coates on a division because that would entail a risk of the Eeform Party returning to office: he had no objection, though, to the Eeform Party supporting an amendment moved from the Labour benches, as Labour would be called on to form a Government if such an amendment were carried. EXPLORING THE AVENUES. In view, therefore, of all tho haze surrounding politics at present, and of the need for putting-a period as speedily as may lie to the drift that is only too apparent in national affairs, would it not be prudent for Parliament to bo called together as soon as possible after tho Parnell by-election so that the parties may be brought together to examine tho country's affairs and to study every possible course with a view of avoiding the turmoil and expense that a General Election would undoubtedly cause? What New Zealand requires for the next twelve months is stability and sound administration. The economic and financial position is serious enough to demand the unbiased attention of all parties without regard to mere petty party considerations. To seek a dissolution without testing out all possible alternatives would in tho circumstances savour strongly of political jugglery and could not be condoned by the people, no matter what party was in powe-r. It is due, at any rate, to tho steadier elements in the two principal parties to como together and see whether the minatory activities of any third party cannot be effectively countered. ELECTION NOT DESIRED. It is incontrovertible that the people will not favour an appeal to their party views until the Dominion has emerged from its present difficulties, and an additional reason for avoiding an election lies in the probability that it would leave the relative state of parties much as it is now. That would bo duo, of course, to tho defects of our electoral system. But if through the aggressiveness of Labour and the purblind attitude of other politicians an election should be forced and leave no party with a clear majority over tho whole House, theu, perhaps, the two moderato parties might at last be forced to soo the wisdom of joining forces so that we

might speedily return to the sane, twoparty system of Government, or else they might at least unite to demand a. reform of tho electoral system, either by the adoption of proportional representation or preferential voting.

It will be regrettable and decidedly against the best interests of the country, however, if a speedy improvement in party leadership that will put tho country on the road to stability and prosperity cannot bo found by rational means.