Grey River Argus SATURDAY, December 8, 1928. THE NEW MINISTRY.

Grey River Argus, 8 December 1928, Page 4

Grey River Argus SATURDAY, December 8, 1928. THE NEW MINISTRY.

The curtain was rung down yesterday by the division bell upon the reign of the Reform Party. Their spokesman did the right thing in accepting his fate philosophically. It is a long lane that is without a turning. Rather than suggest, however, that their merits had yet to be recognised by the country, Mr Coates might more appropriately have acknowledged the very generous opportunity which the country since pre-war days had given his Party. He claimed, not that the results of Reform administration are, as they stand, evidence of success, but rather that the prospects of a change later for the better were a justification. This claim the electors have refused to entertain, but it doubtless is. tactically speaking, a better argument than none at. all, The

truth is that the Reform Party during the last two Parliaments has been losing its punch. It has lacked initiative. turned to bureaucratic expedients to disguise the fact. The nominal were not the real wielders of governmental power. The only Minister actually to gain any prestige in the last Parliament was' Mr Coates himself, but not even he showed the qualities called for by the gradual spread of economic depression. As Minister of Finance, Mr Downie Stewart certainly acknowledged that his aim was a conservative one, but the state of the national finances today is no warranty for his claim, so that his criticism of the loan proposals of his successor at t.h>Exchequer has naturally carried no weight with the public. He can certainly show that much money was advanced by the State during his term, but apart from that, no Minister can say the late Government was sympathetic towards the working class, whose standard of living has steadily been deteriorating, not so much through adverse wage awards as through a lack of work, an increase in the labour surplus, .1 State relief wage below the subsistence level, and the neglect of a comprehensive attempt to remedy the unemployment in a radical or lasting way. The new Government is faced with a situation which will stand no mark-ing-time, but one calling for deeds instead of fine words, or predictions of prosperity at some time in the problematical future The Reform Party proffers its backing for the borrowing policy, pointing out at the same time half as many millions again will be needed to do all that is promised. If the United Ministry has any horse sense, it will perceive that the possession of a comparatively few big bank ba I ances is not the criterion of pro sperity, but that if the masses of the people are restored to a better standard of living, it would mor. than compensate for a restriction upon the incomes of those who already are rich and prosperous. The new Government cannot lose sight of one fact. It has to make good, if at all, in quick time. The predictions of better times are not going to hasten their coming. A more progressive public works policy should help considerably, and equally a closer settlement policy. In these directions, as also in fostering hew industries, it remains to be seen what will be proposed, and what social legislation, such as the relief of the sick, the aged, and the needy. If there is any attempt to monkey with the electoral system by way of restoring second ballots, however, the public will have ground to suspect the good faith of those responsible. The electoral reform needed is proportional representation. That will alone guarantee stability in Parliamentary representation, and remove the present anomaly of minority rule. No doubt, more notice will now be taken by those in power of the Labour Leader’s democratic and prudent stand for fair play ia Samoa. The Reform Party in this, as \n many other matters, humbugged the public. One of the surest hopes of improved conditions in the Dominion is the fact that the people are wider awake to the evil of political humbug than they were, and will now look to those in office for delivery of the goods.