LIBERALISM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16607, 3 December 1919, Page 5

LIBERALISM.

ITS ASPIRATIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS.

(No. 5.) (Published by arrangement.) CUSTOMS TARIFF.

Far back in its .history New Zealand declared for Protection as its established iiscal policy, and it has certainly had no reason to regret that decision. Tho Liberal Party has been Protectionist because it has found by experience that Protection answers in practice to the one sufficient test, “the greatest good ■for tho greatest possible number.” But twenty years ago a considerable revenue was derived from tiro taxation of imported goods—mostly among the ‘‘necessaries of life”—such as we cannot produce for ourselves, These' duties wore levied “for revenue only;” but it was clear to Sir Joseph Ward and his colleagues that (more especially because there was no local production of such commodities) they pressed with undue severity upon the poorer classes. Under such circumstances there was only one thing for a sincerely democratic Liberal to do, and Sir Joseph Ward did it. Tho revenue was sacrificed, the duties were repealed one by one; till in the end our breakfast table was free, much of our clothing and nearly all the necessaries and many of tho commoner luxuries of lifo were free, and the people of New Zealand daily and increasingly reap the benefit of tho statesmanlike wisdom which postponed every other consideration, political and financial, to tho neves•sity for securing and maintaining tho common good. H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND. It is Into in the day to ask ourselves what wo owe to the British Navy. But long before tho Great War brought this truth home to us, our Liberal statesmen’ had appreciated the fundamental principle by which wo must stand or fall—tho necessary unity and solidarity of the Empire. So they began by paying a substantial subsidy year by year toward; the upkeep of tho British Navy. When, twenty years ago. the great struggle in South Africa broke out, Mr. Soddon led tho way for tho Dominions by dispatching our contingents to play their gallant part against tile Boers. It was in this same spirit that Sir Joseph Ward presented the battle-cruiser New Zealand to tho British Navy. This momentous step was taken with the fuli concurrence of tho Liberal party. But. it is also important to remember that Sir Joseph Ward took j this course in tho face of bitter oppo- i sition from tho parties which in various I ways represented different forms of that { Conservatism which has always been, a it is to-day, Liberalism’s inveterate foe Pll E FEU E N TIA L TRADE. In another sphere of political nctic.r the Liberals have been aide to display their enthusiastic loyalty to Britain and their devotion to tho Imperial cause. Whoa tho great movement ir I favour of Imperial reciprocity was begun, New Zealand, under Liberal g'.ndi anoe, was one of the foremost of t lie Dominions to offer preferential terms to British trade in the colonial markets. Sir Joseph Ward has always recognised , both tho commercial and the political , value of a closer connection bet wr ■.■!! Britain and her dependencies on (hr basis of a community of material intciests, and it is largely owing to ids efforts that Now Zealand to-day c.ii substantial encouragement to Britain's trade by receiving all British imported goods into the markets on for Letter terms than those conceded to her foreign rivals. THE TRANSITION STAGE. Of tho, many other measures in which Sir Joseph Ward emphasised once more the basic principles of Libera! ism, and gave fresh proof of his own statesmanlike wisdom and political skill, it is impossible to speak at further’ length. It is enough to say that Sir Joseph Ward throughout worthily sustained tho splendid traditions ol Liberalism, adding continually to lib, high reputation for brilliant political thinking and gaining fresh laurels on a far wider stage among the great statesmen assembled at the various Imperial and Internationa] confcron-cs at iinieJi he represented New Zealand. But in 1911 there came a change in the political fortunes of Liberalism. Although tho Liberals had secured more votes than their rivals at tho polls, yet the final returns gave Sir Joseph AVard so small a margin of superiority that ho refused to carry on. Sir Thomas M'Kenzie then took charge, and in the interval between tho two sessions of that year, four members who had been elected under the Liberal flag deserted to the enemy. The Ai'Jienuio Ministry was thus short-lived. Mr. Massey came into office with tho first “Reform” administration.

Again, in 1914, after the war had begun, the three parties—Liberal, Labour, Reform—wont to the poiis; and though just before the election the “Reformers” had a majority of eight, yot, in spito of Mr. Masey’s appeal to the electors to avoid the risk of “swapping horses while crossing the stream,” he, failed to secure a majority. _ However, through the unfortunate mistake of a returning officer in counting the votes for one electorate he was able to continue in power.

THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT,

By this time the war had grown formidable. Its duration was indefinite, and its issue seemed doubtful. The freedom and well-being of every part of the Empire was clearly in groat jeopardy. The Liberal chief, for patriotic reasons, agreed to a party truce, and bent all his energies to the work of facing the common enemy. While the Coalition lasted, he was the head of the Finance Department, and he closed his brilliant career there by leaving behind him in the Treasury an accumulated surplus of more than 15 million pounds. At the earliest moment after the close of the war, Sir Joseph withdrew from the National Government, for which he considered there was no further necessity, as its one reason hod been to help win the victory, and the agreement specifically stated that the compact was “for tjro duration of the war.” A free man again, he at once appealed to the people on behalf of tho Liberal Party. He now faces the constituencies, with a fine record op patriotic service added to a great record of Liberalism, ia the founding and developing of which ho played so largo a part.