Patea & Waverley Press. MONDAY, JULY 6, 1914. Country or Party ?

Patea Mail, Volume XXXIX, 6 July 1914, Page 2

Patea & Waverley Press. MONDAY, JULY 6, 1914. Country or Party ?

We are inclined to thick that the majority of electors throughout the Dominion will reseat most strongly the valuable linn that is daily being wasted by Sir Joseph Ward and his parly over the no-confidence motion at present before tho House This country is a young one and its resources are to a great extent undeveloped. There is a vast field of work before any ministry in o‘*-aight-ening out tho crooked paths that have already been made and in opening up and developing those portions of the country that are at present lying idle In efivet there are months of work of the most vital importance to tho welfare of the country that is waiting to be carried out by tho Government of the dey irrespective of party politics, Any impartial cdtic who' has watched the progress of events in this country of recent years would declare that what New Zealand requires to>day above and beyond all else is a few years rospite from party snife and a solid and determined effort made on the part of those in charge of the management of the enuntiy’fi tflairs to push the country eboad in the same manner as would be the case if tho country were a business proposition in the hands of a private individual. Already for years past too much valuable time has been spent in partv wrangling, in fency and experimental legislation, end in carrying out much needed works more with a view to purchasing votes than to benefit the country Sound solid and businesslike legialaD tion has been woefully conspicuous bv its absence. The fact that tho railways have been constructed in an antediluvian manner and at a rate that would be a disgrace to a third ra'e South American Republic furnishes an excellent illustration of the manner in which valuable time has been lost in developing the vast un touched resources of the country. Patriotism and not party _ politics would, we feel sure, accomplish more in twelve months for New Zealand than has been accomplished in any three years in tho country’s history. It seems a deplorable thing that the representatives of the people who are sent to Parliament to manage the country’s affairs should allow valuable days to slip by in useless wrangling when so little has been done and so much remains to do. Fair minded people must admit that the charges hurled against Mr Massey before he got into power haye been proved to be baseless over and over again. Taunted with, being a reactionary and a conservative ho stands out toMay without a shadow of a doubt as the most progressive and the most liberal statesman A country could wish to have. Could it by any stretch of imagination be termed anything but liberal to extend the benefits of the Workers’ Homo scheme to tho rural p-rrfs of N-'w Zealand as Mr Massey has dor e? Was it the act of a conservalive to liberalise the Old Age Pensions Scheme, arrange reciprocal pensions between Australia and New Zealand and ex end widows’ pensions so as to include children who may bo doubly orphaned by the loss of both father i and mother ? Was it the act of an i enemy of tho workers to increase the I c,mounts payable under tho Workers’ j Compensation Act, to amend the '.Shipping and Seamen’s Act, the ) Distress and Replevin Act, the Shops | and Offices Act, and to pass such a beneficial measure as the Labour Disputes Investigation Act which had (i.ho distinction of being carried by /prao ica'ly the unanimous vote of tho !'House ? Anyone whoso mind is not • warned by rrarty bins must admit that I the actions of Mr Massey since ho has ! been Prime Minister li -.ve been those lof u truly democratic and liberal i leader and fair minded people will | rof-eot the dog in the manger attitude I adopted by Sir Joseph Ward and, his ! party in obstructing the country’s ! busi’ncca .-.ud preventing Mr Massey j from carrying out the informs which 1 J'jni'ph signally failed to eff-'Ot | d oritur ins lengthy' reign So far as |we can sec the only good that can j (.mnv. of t !, o present, no-confi lance - • -dder r-M f :. :i c .prevent • ■ v r.mir ed to pi too ; . ; ■:< pan ■/ before- the , , ■••• y ;v-v bme. . •- .; ‘hay (jo ;; --■? ualiei