The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, August 9, 1935. BREAK-UP OF THE OLD PARTIES.

Grey River Argus, 9 August 1935, Page 4

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, August 9, 1935. BREAK-UP OF THE OLD PARTIES.

Radically changed indeed from that at last general election is the political situation in the face of which Cabinet Ministers last evening launched their campaign in the North Island. The extent of the alteration is symbolised by nothing more strikingly that the situation revealed in the Rotorua electorate a; late even as yesterday. What the country is witnessing to-day is the break-up of the old political groups and Parties which for so many decades have dominated the people. The Labour Party is at last coming everywhere into its own. The towel is being skied one after another by Parliamentarians identified with the regime whose term is. fast nearing its close. Another sign of the break-up is the spectacle of such a stalwart of the old brigade as Sir Alexander Herdman turning against erstwhile associates, and, at the same time, running into collision with the upstart political factions who are no less anxious than himself to rend asunder the machine which has become discredited in nearly every electorate. The Minister of Employment retorts that Sir Alexander Herdman remained in a secure post when the course of action he now laments was being set out. and Sir A. Ransom asks whether the critic who has just left the Supreme Court Bench has himself made any sacrifice such as to justify his denunciation. Sir A. Ransom last evening confined his opening campaign speech very largely to the Labour Party, and in this, as in his method of argument, proves himself once again among

the ablest protagonists of the Government. While asserting that Labour has not yet been as definite in stating its policy as would be necessary for an accur ate analysis, h ( . neverflu be-: pro ceeds to condemn it in the ab sence of the details that he ms necessary to judge it Hi. complaint that guaranteed pi might, or would, entail finding money from section , of Ihc com niunity mil din-cll;. iid<-i c-.t<-,| i.i exporting is mad,, on th<- .. ump lion that Labour would eiv.- i'■ guarantee to anybody but export, ers. That it is a false assumptio: is proved by nothing more clear lv Ilian his own previous com plaints that Labour is going <.•> far when under present condi tions it also propose-, a guaroute, for wages to a living standard. He goes so far as to say that any guarantee is a mistake, but in the same breath defends the riding of the exchange rate. Now if there were ever anything cal eulated to extract for one section of the people the means to in crease the incomes of another see. lion, the high exchange polio; i precisely sujh a thing. But it has the supreme disadvantage that for those who have to pay lhe exchange there is absolutely no return, and also that the fw tual producers of exports not the immediate beneficial ', v but moneylenders who are not i-ireu! ating money. It is rather a surprise to hear the Acting-Prime Minister shamelessly lalkii.e of rise in the wages bid after all that the Government has be-n dlag to prevent any such thug It has been pressure of public opini on. and the initiative of local bodies, not any conversion of the Government, which have altered the wage-cutting policy in any small degree in which it has bet n altered. Then,. is no doubting th. signs of the times. The ole Parties are going to pieces. Manx of the interests on which they have relied have deserted them but they ar e nevertheless ready to exploit the situation again afar as they may by focussing at tention on the deserters, in ordci to divert it from the Laboui Party. Actions, however, speal louder than words. Mi- Harri has lined up with Sir C. Statham I and Messrs Field. Milliams an MeSkinuning as non-combatants because they can see what > coming. The Labour Party li:i ' stood steadfastly for the inter ests of the great majority durin: almost a generation, and is no-. ’ being given recognition. It wel e may be that a great section o 5 public opinion hitherto hostil and still silent wish for nothin from the general election so nine as a clear-cut Labour victory.