The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1935. THE POLITICAL FIELD

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1935, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1935. THE POLITICAL FIELD

The entry of Sir .Alexander Herdman into the political field would come hardly as a. surprise, because Dame Rumour had been whispering the news for some time. The mystery was further lessened by the fact that the new Party was to disclose itself in .August, by which time In's ex-honour would have stepped down from the high office he held. Sir Alexander retired in advance of any actual necessity so far as his judicial services are concerned, but in any case is entitled to a superannuation allowance which will keep the wolf from the door, and permit- political activities whether a source of financial return or not. It has been suggested Sir Alexander would lead the Democratic Party, if elected to a seat, and this latter feat js the task before him now. He lias selected Parnell, one of the Auckland seats, which is held by Mr W . P. Endea-n, a Rel'ortmer and awell known city figure who stands high with hi s party, and has been mentioned from time to time as a possible Cabinet Minister. Sir Alexa.nder Herdman is an ex-Mjnister, having served under .Mr Massey, and in the war time composite Ministry a s At-torney-General, .Minister in Charge of Police, Crown Land Department, and the new department when created at the outset to deal with'the welfare of returned soldiers. When in the House formerly 'Sir Alexander represented an Otago constituency, lint it <an lie understood having lived so long in the northern city, he will have lost touch with the former' electorate. Sir Alexander’s fulminatioiis arc directed against Messrs Forbes and Coates particularly, but he has refrained from offering details of any substituted policy. It may he accepted the candidate' will take his place under the Democratic Party, shortly, to unfurl its banner and disclose its policy. Sir Alexander, however,declares- his opposition to the Labour party, so on the main plank of the 'Government policy he is in line with Messrs Forbes and Coates. It can be understood there will be much that he will disagree with in Government actions—ay for instance taxation and the financial policy generally—just as Mr Downie Stewart did. and left the Government been use of his opposition. Rut what alternative was there to extricate the country from the general position, which would have given the' desired results as completely and as smoothily as the course taken ? Mr Downie ■Stewart could not put forward a more feasible scheme in the hour of crisis, though it may be possible for some wise acres in the light 'of what has passed by, to offer some alternative. Had the Government failed, had the country not weathered the difficulties with the small dislocation it has passed through, then indeed might the critics storm at the wreckers, but seeing that the Ship of State is on an even keel and proceeding on its course with increasing buoyancy, the critics loose much of their effect. They have delayed their remarks till it is safer to speak of what might have been, but Messrs Forbes and Coates have Die record of their achievements in the face of things as they were in very difficult days, and in the face of much opposition from vested interests which it would appear now desires to become more articulate in the attempt to wreak a revenge for the manner of carrying out the task.