The Hawera Star. MONDAY, APRIL 5, 1926. QUALIFICATIONS FOR CABINET

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 5 April 1926, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

MONDAY, APRIL 5, 1926. QUALIFICATIONS FOR CABINET

Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera. Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltliam, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Alton, Hurley ville, Fatea. '•Vaverley, klokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Me.remere. Fraser Itoad and Ararata.

In 1815 Britain and Germany fought France; in 187.1, Germany alone, fought Franco; in 1914, Britain and France fought Germany. In 1919, Sir James (then Mr) Gtmson opposed Mr V. H. Potter in Ro,skill; in 1922, Miss Ellen Melville opposed Mr Potter; now, Miss Melville and Mr Potter are opposing Sir James Gunson. The only difference between political and national alliances is that reshuffling is not so long delayed in the one as in the other. The Eden by-election campaign, gathering bitterness as it goes, has been given a new turn hy the appearance of Mr Potter on Miss Melville’s platform. Very gallant of the hon. member, no doubt; but it is open to question if chivalry is what has prompted him to stand by the lady. It is significant that, whereas Mr J. S. Dickson has hastened to deny a report that his sympatliies are with Miss Melville for a certain reason, Mr Potter has not challenged a like rumour regarding his altitude. It is stated that the action of the member for Roskill is to be interpreted, not as support for Miss Melville, but- as opposition to Sir James Gunson. The explanation offered is that an able administrator like Sir James, if elected, would not long remain a private member; and that the chances of other aspirants to Ministerial rank will be/ prejudiced by his victory in Eden. Passing by the particular cases of Messrs Potter and A. Harris (Waitemata), in which Rumour may possibly be living up to her reputation for falsehood, it cannot bo denied that there is competition for Cabinet appointments, and some members are known to be sore as a result of the preferment bestowed in January. It would be possible to condemn too sweepingly the attitude of ./mind which gives rise to this heart-burning. .Ambition is a virtue, not a fault. The man in whom ambition is dead may be likened to a mechanical toy with a broken spring. And ambition in a politician urges him always towards a position ?r. which he shall have more than an average share in the work of government. But even ambition should be reasonable. The soldier who has been for ten years a corporal does not expect his commission on that account alone. To earn promotion he is required to qualify in some other direction than by mere length of service. Yet we find members of Parliament, no more qualified to be successful Ministers than a lancecorporal is qualified to lead an army corps, nursing a grievance because good men and capable have been promoted "over their heads." To take a concrete instance, the elevation of the Hon. F. ,T. Rollcston to the 'Ministry, after lie had served oidy tme term as a priatc member, was very eoldv received by some Reformers whose connection With Parliament dates back ten or a dozen years. If they were of equal ability with the new Minister, or if they gave occasional faint promise of developing beyond the chrysalis stage in the evolution of a statesman, these members would have legitimate cause for complaint. But the present position of several of them is that of the bush half-back who has been playing club Rugby for twenty years, and proposes now to turn to League because the All Black selectors have passed him by. Other things bding equal, length of political service may be expected to

count: in the qualifications for Ministerial positions —but it is so very rarely that other things are equal. Childish at any time, this political peevishness comes perilously near to open rebellion when it takes the form of hostility to a party candidate at the poll. We do not hold with the doctrine, “My party, right or wrong,” and we believe that it is possible to impede the work of government by too great insistence on party: but discipline is essential to the present system, and the country may be forgiven for wondering if Mr Potter would have been equally defiant with Mr Massov in command.