AS OTHERS SEE US.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 37, 8 February 1912, Page 6

AS OTHERS SEE US.

Under tho headings “How New Zealand Faros” : “The Political Situation in tho Empire’s Experimental Farm of Stato Socialism” : the London “Tines” remarks:—

“For the- second time this year the electors of a Dominion have revolted, and tho overwhelming Parliamentary majority of a once dominant party has disappeared.” “In New Zealand, as in Canada,’ tiie discomfited Prime Minister has been a conspicuous figure at Imperial Conferences—a man looked upon by the British public as a notable representative of Imperialism overseas. But tho defat oof Sir Wilfrid Laurior, however it may have been aided by distrust of the man himself in certain quarters, was achieved mainly by antagonists with a definite policy of their own, united against a definite policy of his; their victory was decisive, and placed in power a strong new Ministry.

IVhy Si.’ 1 Joseph Failed.

“Sir Joseph Ward has failed partly because one set of voters thinks him too unprogressive and another set thinks him too advanced, partly from a widespread dislike and distrust of him and his chief colleague. And the result is chaos, out of which one fact emerges—that Sir Joseph himself remains the only man adaptable enough to patch'up a Ministry that can collect a majority behind it. In these circumstances it may seem

a straining of language to talk about his defeat. Yet that is in reality the only tiling that has happened.

“He went into the contest with fifty-four supporters, against Mr Massey’s twenty-six. Ho has lost nineteen seats-—eleven to Mr Massey, four to advanced Labour, four to ‘lndependents.’ His, on evil ope of retaining office is to conciliate not only the Labour members, for whose ( support lie might bid with still morq .‘advanced’ legislation, but also the Independents, who on election pledges are bound to o2iposo him. Even then his position cannot be stable-. A Twenty Years’ Dominance. “Thus ends the twenty years,’ dominance of the Liberal-Labour coalition. Its first loader—the idealist John Ballance, himself a disciple of Sir George Grey—won his great \ ictory of 1890 on the issue of land reform, but promptly set going the long series of Industrial Acts widen, have made of New Zealand a sort of experimental farm for the Empire m i’questions of State Socialihii. IP's most masterful follower, Ricr.aid Sc.klon, took up the work when Ballance died; during the ninties his legislation aimcS chiefly at protecting the employee * with Factory and Arbitration Acts, and providing the settlor with cheap land and money; while with the beginning of a new century lie turned •his attention to active State trading, competing with private enterprise in coal mines and fire and accident insurance (the State had made a business of life insurance since 1870). Mr Seddon's Character. . “But Mr Seddon was a practical man. He ‘well understood,’ to quote from Professor Le Rossignol’s careful study of Now Zealand polities, ‘the political effects of making the State the dominant economic power in the Colony; and knew how to strengthen his Government by widening the scope of its activities, by a shrewd expenditure of money, chiefly in the building of roads and railways, and by judicious distribution of favours of every kind. He taught the people in every part of the Colony to “stand in” with the Government if they wished to he remembered in the distribution of loaves and fishes.’ An Offer of Public Works. “And that sido of his policy was developed by the present Prime Minister, the most astute among Richard Seddon’s colleagues, until Government’s election programme became an offer of public works to the value of £3,000,000 plus a ‘hcccatomh of desirable concessions.’ From this sordid materialism the country and the Cabinet might have boon saved by an Opposition strong either in numbers or in leadership. Both, however,, have been lacking. The country has watched with indifference the demonstrations of a weak party dutifully opposing Government measures because they wore the Government’s; and, to quote our correspondent, would much like a change, hut balks as soon as it contemplates the only possible alternative.’ So the electors seem to have done what they could, unaided. They have deprived Sir Joseph Ward of his maiorjty and his right-hand man; and they have loft the two parties equally powerless to take advantage of tile situation, except by promulgating some genuine national policy that shall win the day for its supporters at the next elections, which cannot be long postponed.” |