The Daily News FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1930. PARTY LEADERSHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1930, Page 8

The Daily News FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1930. PARTY LEADERSHIP.

Those who take a philosophical view of present day polities cannot fail to arrive at the conclusion that the lot of a party leader, like that of the comedy policeman, is not a happy one. Theoretically political parties are divisions of people in a State marked off by the particular views they hold as to the public policy to be pursued “in the best interests of the people at large.” Actually in recent times the party system has degenerated into an almost continuous struggle for power—a struggle that has been made more complex in the Motherland and the Dominions by the remarkable growth of the Labour Party, with the consequent advent of triangular contests, for which the . electoral system is totally unfitted. Within the experience of the elder generation of the present time there were in the Homeland only two political parties—Liberal and Conservative—but even then the former had a Right and a Left wing, while the latter stood solid, but unprogressive. Subsequently the Irish question brought into being two other parties—HomeRulers and Unionists—whereby the Liberals were much weakened and the Conservatives strengthened. Since then Labour has not only become piominent, but has attained office and carried on the Government of the country. There are many points of similarity between the political situation of the Mother Country ancL its counterpart in New Zealand. Unfortunately, the most striking of those points is that which concerns the party leaders on both sides of the ocean. Among the Home Conservatives there are some who, from interested or other motives, have been attacking their leader (Mr. Baldwin) on several flimsy grounds. Among the Liberals a serious cleavage has occurred, as the result of which Mr. Lloyd George, according to Viscount Grey, is not entitled to the confidence of the pa. t y. An interested and impartial spectator may well feel puzzled at these exhibitions of party squabbling and disloyalty. It cannot all be attributed to defects of leadership ; rather does it seem to reflect the general unrest of the times. Practically the same disease in the body politic is evident in New Zealand. At the last general election the party led by Mr. Coates went to the poll with much confidence, only to find the tide had set in against its leader and in favour of the new United Party and its veteran leader, Sir Joseph Ward. Now the chairman of the executive of that party is instituting a campaign of complaints against the party leader. He is also asserting that the time has arrived for a complete review of national politics “in the interests of the people of the Dominion.” He may be justified in that view, though it will be somewhat discounted by the part he took in forwarding the claims of Sir Joseph Ward and his party to the confidence of the people. On that point, however, comment will be of little, if any, service. Apparently the immediate need is a comprehensive and intelligent survey of the whole trend of party politics. The first consideration may well be the protection of the country and its people from the forces of disintegration and class warfare. The principles of good government are well known, yet it is impossible for those principles to be carried out unless there is the right sort of team work under the guidance of a leader who possesses the confidence of his supporters. It . has been quite customary in the past to speak of each succeeding Ministry as a “one man Government.” The leader must necessarily be an outstanding personality and not a mere figurehead.