The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1919. MR HANAN’S POSITION.

Southland Times, Issue 18746, 4 December 1919, Page 4

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1919. MR HANAN’S POSITION.

We hope that in his address at the Theatre this evening Mr Hanan will express his ideas on the subject of his personal political independence a little more fully and clearly than he did to his cimmittee. This question is one of very great interest not only to Mr Hanan’s constituents but to the country as a whole, for it is quite conceivable that the independents in the new House may [day an important role in determining the character and personnel of the next Government. It is possible that one or other of the main parties will be returned with an absolute majority of members, in which case thfere will be no trouble. But it is also possible that neither Mr Massey nor Sir Joseph Ward will be able to claim an absolute majority, and that a small Labour minority will hold the balance between the two. Neither Mr Massey nor Sir Joseph Ward will hold office with the support of the Labour extremists. Mr Hanan himself, like many other candidates from both the main parties, has declared emphatically that he will not support any Government in power “if its existence depends on the votes of members whom he would regard as extremists and disloyal men.”- Some of the Liberals probably would not vote against the Massey Government if they could not turn it put except with the assistance of the Labour extremists, but it would be very unsatisfactory for any Government to try and carry on with a minority in the House of Representatives. If, therefore, Labour should hold the balance of power between the two main parties there will be only two courses of action. Either Parliament will have to be dissolved or the parties will have to regroup themselves in order to bring into existence a new party with a good working majority. This is where the independents would have their opportunity. In such circumstances they would be able, we are sure, to bring together the best elements in both parties and form a party on strong, progressive and constitutional lines that would command the confidence of the country'- Would Mr Hanan lend his support to such a party? He should make his position clear. It seems to us, also, that, having gone so far towards independence, he should go a step further and declare in favour of the elective executive. He has now adopted principles of parliamentary government which this paper has been advocating for 10 or 15 years, proportional representation, protection of the authority of Parliament, release of the electorate from the abuses of the party system, and the selection of the Ministers of the Crown from the best men available. Mr Hanan makes it a condition of his support, even of a Liberal Government, that the Cabinet must “be composed of strong, able, and progressive men, qualified for their respective portfolios.” Surely the best way to obtain such a Government, and at the same time remedy the abuses of the party system, is to elect the executive from the whole House. We have criticised Mr Hanan but we recognise the value of his work as Minister of Education, and in the new House he will probably be the best man available for that portfolio. If Mr Massey should have a majority Mr Hanan’s services will not be available, for no other reason than that he is “on the other side.” What is the sense of a position like this, more especially at the present time when the divisions between the so-called parties are more imaginary than real? A scientific system of election, providing for the representation of minorities as well as majorities, together with an elective executive, would kill the party system, make Parliament far more sensitive to the control of the constituencies, and keep the power of the Cabinet within bounds. The real independents in the new House may have such an opportunity of bringing about these reforms as has not occurred before, and we feel sure that many of the electors of Invercargill would like to know .how far Mr Hunan would help.