DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 28 August 1919, Page 5

DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.

(Auckland Star.) "New Zealand Liberals have long been waiting for a pronouncement of policy by the party that inherits the traditions of Grey, Ballance, and Sedclon. Ihey see the best hope of the country in a living advanced Liberalism that will stand between the conservatism that hampers the Reform party and the destructive doctrines of extreme Labor, a Liberalism that will appeal, as Ballance's and Seddon's programmes did, to men and women in all classes At this stage we cannot deal m detail with all of the comprehensive programme that Sir Joseph Ward puts forward, but, taking it as a whole, we believe it will appeal strongly to Liberals and to the moderate section of Labor as a statesmanlike ettont to solve Dominion problems on bold lines. Sir Joseph Ward displays ideas and courage, and casts a wide net Indeed, one fault in the manifesto from the" tactical point of view is that rather too much ground is covered and too much detail included; 1 before the appeal to the people is made the more important proposals should be brought out in greater relief. (Christchurch Press.) We have not space to deal to-day in detail with the policy that Sir Joseph presents to the public, but we may say immediately that we distrust it as decidedly as we should distrust anyone who proposed to make us rich m ten minutes for less than nothing. Reduced taxation, enormous borrowing, gifts for everyone, and wholesale plans of nationalisation—by these means the country is to be made rich and everyone made happy, and the enormous public debt wiped out in ten years less than the period which a few ! years ago Sir Joseph thought was short enough to enable a debt of half the amount to be liquidated The policy contains some proposals which most people will heartily support—proposals which would have to be made by any party leader at the present time—but these are accompanied by .such a vast number of plans constructed solely for the purpose of pleasing various sections of the public that the whole thing looks like an elaborate imposture. Does Sir Joseph really believe that this reckless and spendthrift programme—for such it is despite its inclusion of some quite commendable proposals—is the sort of thing that can be swallowed by the moderate majority to whom he appeals? The war has been rich in lessons of various kinds, and not the least of ite lesson? is the necessity for a strong distrust of the plitterin/promwes of the politicians. The old belief m the capacity of Ministries and

Parliaments to work miracles throm* Acts which deny the principles upon winch the plain man conducts his business—this dear old delusion is gone with many another fond belief. The pubhc can no longer be persuaded that a Government can take sixpence from a shilling and leave half-a-crown, and it will look with suspicion upon anyone who porfesses ability to work that 'stunt." Sir Joseph Ward's 'stunt' policy will not do.