TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1915. LIBERALISM IN PERIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9172, 12 October 1915, Page 4

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1915. LIBERALISM IN PERIL

If Parliament still possesses i any lingering spark of the sense of decency, it will prorogue as speedily as possible, • and retire into wellmerited and appropriate obscurity. It is rapidly exhausting the public patience and forbearance. "When, the National Government was formed, the principal argument employed in support of the fusion was-that it would bring about political harmony during the continuance of the war, and secure the desirable objective of unity of effort in the management of our military system. At' the time, we ventured to express our doubts in this, connection, and the spectacle presented - by . the Legislature during the last three -weeks proves .conclusively that it has done neither the one thing nor the other. The outstanding features of our. political life at the present moment are disunion, petty jealousy, and miserable heart-burning. There is neither political harmony nor unity of effort. So far as tho military system is concerned, it has passed under the control of a Dictator, who scorns the assistance of the Cabinet. He is a law unto himself. It may be that the two party leaders axe united in purpose, and palpably they are working amicably together, in the face of embarrassing and harassing conditions. It is not so with their colleagues. It is not so with the rank and file of the two parties. There was never greater animosity, than there is at the present moment, and there have been, moments within the 'last fortnight when an adverse motidn might easily have been carried against the National Government. Obviously, the only deterrent to , a move qf this kipd has been the fear of wholesome disapproval from public opinion. From .the Liberal point of view, tho situation has never been so depressing and disheartening- "With the exception pf Finance, “Reform” has contrived to hold all the important portfolios, giving, to five so-called Liberals, in exchange for the surrender of their professed principles, departments of little or no consequence which have ministered to their vanity and induced them to assist in the furtherance of “Reform ” designs. “ Reform ” has kept control of the whole of tho committees, using its majority unfailingly for party purposes, occasionally under the direct influence of a Minister. The taxation has been arranged, with extraordinary compliance on the part of the Liberal section of the Cabinet, to suit the wealthy landed interests. Taxation has been piled upon the working classes, tho industrial and commercial companies, and has been carefully kept off the shoulders of the ’great territorial magnates -who are making enormous profits' out of the war. 1 The conditions on which the Liberals entered the Cabinet, subordinating their principles to the clamour for a National Government, have been for the most part calmly ignored. ... Even the stipulation that the burning question, of the cost of living would be effectively handled has been staved pff with a palpable political “fake.” Wc have watched the progress of events for tho last few weeks with silent misgiving, determined not to embarrass the National Government with premature criticism, but it is impossible any longer to evade tho conviction that Liberalism has been made tho catspaw to drag the “Reform” nuts Cut of the fire. Tho only purpose achieved by the establishment of a National ‘ Government has been to stifle honest Liberal criticism while the Conservatives played the game craftily for the furtherance of the interests of their class. , It is not necessary to go further in. search of an illustration of our argument than the Washing Up Bill which was forced through the House on

Wednesday night. Tho “Reform” party, for the last twenty years, has been vehemently protesting against what it called legislation by exhaustion. This was something worse. This Washing Up Bill contained scores of matters that should have been dealt with by separate bills. These should have been printed and circulated, and carefully discussed, so that they might have been thoughtfully considered in all their bearings. There was plenty of time for all this in tho last two months that have practically been wasted. But in defiance of all the principles of democratic government, these matters or jobs, or whatever else they may bo called, were carefully kept back until the last moment, and then suddenly sprung on an unsuspecting House in ■ a Washing Up Bill. As a consequence, important legislation concerning some electorates was passed without the members for those districts being aware of what was in contemplation, and without having any. opportunity of remonstrance. To this move, the Liberal section qf- the Cabinet gave its counten-ance,-and in some instances individual Liberal Ministers shamelessly defended what was in progress. This Washing Up Bill contained 71 pages, and gave legislative effect to actually 134 different matter?. In actual fact, it probably contained more, legislation than had been dealt with in’the whole session. And yet it was introduced suddenly, the members being ignorant of its contents, and was rushed through in spite of protests, at one sitting. There is only one term that can adequately describe such methods. It was political sharp practice of a’ flagrant character. -

When the National Government was formed, we were assured that there was to bo no contentious legislation this session, -and yet the Washing TJ 1» Bill contained an astounding clause impudently proposing to give the holders of residence and business site leases in To Aroha township the. freehold at tho, original value. ,As Mr Ell pointed out, this was an attempt to convey away the freehold of a township containing 1400 residents, and having a capital value exceeding £BO,OOO, and was an indefensible surrender of the principles for which the Liberal party has been contending for many-; years. Of course, , it was flagrant robbery f of the whole of th e people for the profit of the few! Extraordinary'to relate, Sir-Joseph Ward confessed that he had promised not to put any obstacles in the way of the scheme, while there was no word of protest from Mr McNab, the man who once hailed tho leasehold flag to tho mast, and then ignominio-us}y' cut the mast away. As for such Liberals as the Hon. G. W. Russell and the Hon, J. A. Hanan, they were well content with their portfolios and the atmosphere of “Reform” sanctity and privilege in. which they found themselves,. and a protest from them would have been'too much to. expect. However, there were protests from Messrs Ell, Webb, Thacker,, Poolo and other Liberals who have hot yet sacrificed principle to the temptations of office, and these eventually prevailed, but not without the staunch assistance of Dr. Newman, and Messrs Dickson and -Field, amongst the “Reformers.” ■ It was a strange spectacle. Tho Conservative Dr Newman fighting to prevent the spoliation of the public estate,, for tho profit of a few greedy individuals, by a Cabinet including Sir Joseph Ward, Dr McNab, . Messrs G. W, Bussell, -Hanan, MacPonald, and Myers. This is one part of tho price that Liberalism being asked to pay for the establishment of a National Government, which is being used largely for Conservative party designs, merely to gratify the personal ambition of a section of the Liberal party. 1 Apparently, Liberalism has bben betrayed into a dangerous situation.' However, whatever the leaders of the party'may do, the principles of Liberalism can only suffer temporarily.’ Standing as these do for the rights of the democracy," they must prevail in the end, notwithstanding the influences at work to thwart them and secure their destruction.