UNHAPPY LIBERALS

Maoriland Worker, Volume 13, Issue 26, 27 June 1923, Page 4

UNHAPPY LIBERALS

We have reason to believe that Mr. Wilford considers the Parliamentary Labour Party a Machiavellian institution. There was that amendment-to-an-amendnient device which made his subsequent action look so very much like a spineless desertion of principle, and now we have another artful move that is certain to reduce the public confidence in the Liberal Party's integrity. In Mr. Wilford's amendment to the Address-in-Reply he stole a very considerable portion of the Labour Party's thunder, but curiously omitted any reference to Proportional Representation, for the enactment of which he has led thousands to believe they could depend on the " great Liberal Party." Mr. Holland having spoken, and not having , moved an amendment to the Liberal amendment, a lend siμ-h of relief was heard to ascend to the Empyrean from the Liberal benches, the gentlemen thereon imagining (vainly) that this time they would be under no heeessity of disgracefully belting from the Chamber in order not to vote for principles they had many times affirmed. But it was not to be. When Mr. D. O. Sullivan spoke, HE moved an amendment adding to the Liberal amendment Labour's lack of confidence in the Government's policy because it contained no provision for the passage of Proportional Representation and the abolition of the Upper House. This put the Liberals in an awkward fix, because if they vote against it they will have difficulty in disproving that they have defrauded their supporters in the country, while if they dash from the Chamber when the division bell rings they will become subject to the suspicion that they lack the courage to stand up for their convictions (such as they are). No wonder they smiled wryly. Mr. Wilford, we tanderstand, is as one weary and heavy-laden with the complexities of his job, and The Maoriland Worker is not so ungracious as not to pity Mm. Obviously it is hard to do anything with a party so mentally confused and so torn with dissension about every question that reaches Hie ver/ie of realisation-