POLITICAL OUTLOOK

Northern Advocate, 5 June 1912, Page 4

POLITICAL OUTLOOK

MR MILLAR'S PLAIN TALK.

THE OLD PARTY IN THE MUD.

The speeches delivered at the social tendered to the Hon. J. A. Millar in Dunedin were rot reported in the Press telegram. Mr Millar's speech was also drastically condensedMr Millar said (as reported in the "Otago Daily Times") that he had to take them back a few years to the timevhen the Liberal party was first forms ed and the fights it had. By means/ of the strength of that party, reforms which had been of benefit to the whole country had been effected. The party had held such a position that it established confidence in trade and commerce, which was good for a country, because there was nothing so damaging to trade as uncertainty in political life. Recently the party had received a reverse, and to-day it was in the unhappy position of having the party absolutely broken up. And by whom? By men who had not been five minutes in public life. These were the men who were responsible for the position the Liberal party was in and it was in the interests of the country that he was going to say the few words he intended to say. He might say at once that he was not an office-hunter, and he did not care if he never held office again so long as he saw a Government in office that would carry on the affairs cf the country on the same progressive lines as in the past. What position was this great party in to-day? At the beck and call of five or six men who could drasj that party through the mud at their own sweet will. Fancy going to Payne, Isitt, and Co. for leave to introduce a Bill. That was the position they were in to-day, because if they withdrew their support out went the Ministry. • Were they going to allow the Liberal party to be dragged through the mud by these five or six men? He said, No. It was an undesirable position* and he did not intend to help it, more especially when they had one of these gentlemen on the floor of the House saving it was his mission in life to*suck the Liberal party dry, and then throw it over. He intended to try to \ send that honorable member back to his constituents and show that his vaunted powers of suction were not there. The support of these men was only to be obtained on conditions laid down by them. It was' a long time since the Government of the day had not been sufficiently powerful to carry out legislation within its own ranks. It was a standing menace to the country for any party occupying the benches to be dependent on the vote of one or two men outside itself when it could only be obtained by some grant to their district. " They found three Royal Commissions sitting to-day for the gradual absorption of men who were doubtful. Was this in the interests of the country Would it add to the- prestige of the Liberal party? He. said, No. It would be a thousand times better forj»tho party to go into honorable oppQsijT tion than.be dragged at the heels or*- 7 three or four members, and made to do things which many of them knew were wrong and could not support. There were other members of the Liberal party who held the same views as he did. They were as liberal to-day as ever they were, and nothing would ; change his principles. Although he was told he was going ever to the Reform party, he was not going over to it. What he would do was this: The present position could not stand, and one of two things must take place. A new party must be formed within the House from men on both sides, turning the extremists - f > into a cave and leaving them there. It would be a party with a broad,, forward policy, without any rash experiments which might, or might not, turn cut successfully, but which were, at the present time, in.advance of public \ requirements and in advance of public opinon. We had as much as we could do to get money to develop this country, to increase our productions and our. exports. Any Government would have sufficient to do in that way for a few years. It would be time enough then to start with experiments that no other country had tried, but which in time, . ho doubt, would come to the front, thought not at the presenttime. If. they could not form a party with a strength within itself to go on those safe, sound lines, his vote would go every time for a dissolution. The people of'the country must settle the position— whether they would allow this thing to go on, or get a stable Government into »' , power, and so renew a confidence in the trade and industry of this country. He could not see his way clear to allow the present position to continue. He was not altering his views in the slightest, but if he saw a party that was going on broad and progressive lines, it would have his support, ,4 irrespective of whether he was a member of it or not. " One had to look at the country as a Whole, and study its interests. The public life of this country was of a high standard, so were the characters of its public men, and no one should do anything that would cause that high standard to be departed from. He had no more to say to them that night. There was nothing to be gained by mud-slinging on the public platform. What was gone was gone, and one had to look to the future, and, v.ith a full sense of his responsibility, he said that if the people, in the best interests of the country, desired to have sound Government, they would assist in forming a party that would give them good progressiva legislat»on, and who would keep within themselves the power to carry it on without having to go cap in hand for a vote to enable them to succeed. If they did, they would maintain the prosperity of the past.