WHAT WOULD SIR JOSEPH DO?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18355, 22 March 1923, Page 6

WHAT WOULD SIR JOSEPH DO?

Torrents of words have been expended by Sir Joseph Ward in describing with general magniloquence what wonders he will perform if Tauranga returns him to Parliament. When, however, a questioner at Morrinsville suggested he should descend from his empyrean heights, and say how he would vote on a no-confidence motion moved by Mr. Wilford, he refused to answer the question. He did more than that, he said it was not a fair question to ask. He explained that whatever happened in Parliament would have his very careful consideration, with a view to doing what was best calculated to further the interests of the country. In fact he has now demanded, in plain terms, that the people of Tauranga waive, in his favour, their right of having their decision given effect at a vital moment in Parliament. "Elect me, let me do all your thinking for you, and all will be well" is the burden of his answer. He is quite entitled to refuse, as he has refused, to indicate what he will do if he is in Parliament when the din-

sion bells ring in j a no-confidence motion. The electors of Tauranga are .' equally entitled to draw their own deductions from the refusal. He has entered the contest as a candidate for the seat. He has no special immunity from answering the questions which all electorates are accustomed to put to all candidates. As for his suggestion that there would have to be conferences of members, this naturally inspires the question, who would summon the»e conferences, preside over them, and give the lead for their deliberations'? Would he He says any attempt to anticipate events would put him in a very wrong position, but it is difficult to see how. An awkward position perhaps, but that is one of the drawbacks to contesting an election. A plain answer to a plain question always places the candidate in the awkward position of risking the loss of somebody's vote. To counter it by saying it should not have been asked, is to convey the impression that Sir Joseph does not rate very highly the intelligence of the people whose votes he is seeking. The sooner he ceases talking of his past performances and devotes some attention to his present intentions, the sooner will he be treating the electorate as it has every right to demand of him.