“REFORM" HYPOCRISY

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9042, 13 May 1915, Page 4

“REFORM" HYPOCRISY

The squatters’ organ, with a fine disregard of obvious facts, appears to he very anxious to create and maintain the impression in the public mind that the Liberal side is to blame for the frequent obtrusion of the party issue at a moment when the Empire is at war. On Tuesday, for example, we were told something in this connection concerning •

—this period of national stress, when party politics have been almost universally subordinated to a harmonious unity of effort directed against the enemies of the Empire.

It may suit the squatters’ organ and the political schemes of its friends and patrons to talk in this strain. But is it true? Have party politics been almost universally subordinated to a harmonious unity of effort? So far as the ‘“Reform” party is concerned, they certainly have not. It was the wish of Sir Joseph Ward and the Liberal party to subordinate party politics to the higher consideration of Imperial harmony, and to this end they earnestly urged that the general election should be postponed for a year or longer if necessary, even at the cost of allowing the Massey Government to remain in office all that time. And how was that generous and disinterested offer received? It was scornfully rejected. The general election was forced on, the country has been kept ever since in a ferment of political unrest, and for what purpose? Solely in the endeavour to secure a further lease of office for the Massey Government. There has been strong political colour in the whole of the Government administration during this trying period, and especially in the defence administration, and the offers of the Liberal party to cooperate in the direction of political unity for a common purpose have been scornfully ignored or patronisingly rejected. In the face of such a position, it is preposterous to talk of party politics in this country having been subordinated to any harmonious unity of effort. There has been no unity of effort. The “Reform ” party has seen to that. On the contrary, there has been extraordinary political rancour, commencing with the general election that was unduly forced on, and ending in disclosures of gross bribery to secure the success of the “ Reform” party. Tho hypocritical pretence of the squatters’ organ will not serve the purpose of deceiving anyone. Party politics 'should have been subordinated to the common good, hut they have not, and “Reform,” in its unprincipled greed for office, is solely to blame.