Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1912. POLITICAL MORALITY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12706, 8 March 1912, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY E VENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1912. POLITICAL MORALITY.

Whilst it may be true, as inferentially suggested by a correspondent, that- the world would be a 'happier, and better place if the standards governing political life were as rigorously set and adhered to as those governing commercial relationships, it is equally true that political life would be cleaner and sweeter and much more sought after by honorable men if the standards of criticism, tliat are adopted m connection with it were as broad-gauged as the ordinary standards that are maintained by. the ..average man m the commercial and social spheres. Many a good and useful citizen who might otherwise feel to enter public life and apply his talents to the service of his country recoils from the suggestion that he should become a, candidate for Parliament simply for the reason that he knows something. of the besmirching influences of political erjti'ciism, the disposition of many people, to misjudge motives, the subtlety of innuendo, and 'the envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness that are sometimes allowed to creep into • and waTp the public j udgment regarding those who take upon their shoulders the responsibilities of legislation and administration. Instances could be quoted from the "campaign of calumny" of the' lsvst^electioris m which the characters of . public men were impeached ■ by suggestions'iof.^dishonor which had subsequently to be withdrawn, Mr W. H.,, D.. Bell's remarks, to the electors of Wellington Suburbs about '"pickings"- m connection with the raising of the Dominion loans were subject to one base ''interpretation m the minds of the electors' at; the time they were made, and certainly led to the implication that certain politicians had been guilty of securing* i'or themselves commissions from, the- moneylenders or some other illicit gains through the transaction.^ This slander .was sedulously circulated throughout ? the Country until it came to be believed' in by. many, and was to some extent- a factor m determining the elections. . • But- when acquainted m Parliament with: the-inter-pretation that was -being given ! to his remarks and challenged to give 'proof of such a suggestion, Mr Bell had the honor and good sense to explain that all he intended to convey by the use of the word "pickings" was. that the ordinary loan flotation charges. were being drawn by the persons entitled to them, and not m any- sense that Ministers of the Crown were gaining any monetary benefit if rom the floating of the loans. It was a somewhat tardy explanation, but, taken also with Mr Massey's apology for the imputation Of bribery, was sufficient to show that political criticism is liable to be based on false premises,' and that harsh things are sometimes said which would not be -tolerated m the ordinary conversations of life. The.' correspondent who writes m another column on .the subject of political morality has, we believe, allowed his judgment to be warped by undue austei'ity and an insufficient consideration of the facts. A great deal, of political capital -. i's being manufactured out of the subject of "the broken pledges," but anyone who dispassionately reads the simple record of Hansard, reporting the recent debate, must admit that the members who ate accused of this. ignominy made a very good case for the course of action that they intended to pursue. In explaining his position to the House, Mr Payne emphasised the fact that by listening impartially to the i debate and. to other . information, gained m Wellington he had found. He had won | his seat on misrepresentation. For instance, his allegations and challenges to the Prime Minister -on the question of the £5,000,000 loan were based on false premises; because the statement presented to Pai'liament showed that the information he had asked for was not m New Zealand at the time. He had gone to Wellington expecting to see the Opposition tear the "wicked Liberals!' to shreds, but 'had been -woefully disappointed. Throughout the debatehe had heard nothing he could tell his Grey Lynn electors of that would justify him m voting out the Liberal party, and' he therefore honorably, declared, "I prefer to commit political suicide < rather than the murder of Labor's interests."- Mr Robertson, the other Labor niember referred to, acknowledged thatdbe had-pro-mised to vote out the Ward Administration, but. m doing, so he certainly bad not promised: to vote the- Maesey party in.-.- He would never give apledgei to put "Mr Massey and his party into- poiver, whilst as -to the Ward Administration, the Prime Minister, had given- -an taking that it -would resign.' 'Mrißobertson summed up 'his position thus : "I am aware that the letter: of my .pledge is to support) r the, no'confidence h amendment, and I therefore find mysfelf w the position that/ 1 must either. keep,.the : -letter of the pledge it, or I must act ih : accordance with the spirit and break the letter.. - t I-^hoosffe to break the letter, 4 and act^irr; aocoid- < ance, with the spirit." ••Incidentally; it might be added, that the Labor mtenibevs recognised that the OppositibriV.who, had no interests '■'.. m common with the Labor party, had* nsed • the stronge* efforts to secure .their (the Labor members') return ,ih order • to defeat tihe Government, and that they\were -merely being used as "tools" m an- unholy alliance. . When air the circumstances are' fully taken into consideration >• :the action of the Labor members can scarcely be taken as dishonorable, though, of course, there are^many people who. for political reasons, will strenuously hold it to be so. The whole substance of the pledge to the electors was at an end should be put to the Ward*. Administration. This ; is : being ihost effectually brought about by-the-,4 announced resignation oi Sir Joseph Ward iand fthe complete:, recohstfuction^of ; the,: Ministry and it can surely^Vieter .be .pVetenßed that the, electors: of. Otaki and of Grey Lynn- 'intended to do more .than to effect a .» thorough Ministerial- ••: house-cleariing such lis about 1 .ter take, plaice j' It was certainly' hot' their desire :to .-give "Mr Massey the. asoendericjr, otherwise;', the Massey candidatesi^anoS afnot>?>.tMeßsijs Payne and Robertson, would base' been returned. The members referred' tp .'may be quite; safely left' to their OAvri • consciences and to the electors^ they", repre-. sent for' justification or 6therwi^e. ! of- the decisive step^ they liavo „ ,