The Star. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1922. THE PEOPLE’S OPPORTUNITY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16908, 6 December 1922, Page 6

The Star. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1922. THE PEOPLE’S OPPORTUNITY.

The electors of the Dominion will choose to-morrow; the members of the new Parliament. They have had ten years of Reform. and they have now the opportunity to say whether the Government under Mr Massey is to continue in office. We believe that the answer will be against the Government, and that a mandate will be given in favour of the Liberals. The Conservatives have issued a list- of their accomplishments during their period. cf office, and even if their claims were admitted their record is not an impressive one. The electors are well aware, however, that the Government has not handled the affairs of the country with either distinction or ability. Tt utterly failed to exercise ordinary care or display ordinary foresight, with the result that while the revenue was high there was an expendiditure which was unprecedented in the history of the Dominion. was squandered with a prodigality which took not the slightest account of the inevitable day of reckoning. The results of the Government’s squandermania are apparent to-day. The knife had to be applied to the Public Service at a time when there was considerable unemployment, and the taxpayers did not receive the relief to which they were entitled. The railway services were cut down, and passenger l&res and freight rates increased to the maximum. The principal earning departments of the State, which were instituted to protect the public from exploitation, were made the instruments of exploitation. The Government has a poor case on which to appeal for tho confidence of the people. Its policy of drift has been disastrous, and the country is suffering through the bungling and incompetency of its rulers. It is time that the Reformers v ere sent into the political obscurity fiom which they emerged, and the government of the country put into more capable hands. The real challenge in this election is being made by the Liberal-Labour Party. under the leadership of Mr T. M. Wilford. The platform of the Party has been put before the country, and by it the Party will be bound. Lt represents a continuation of the Liberalism which flourished in the days of Ballance and Seddon, and shows that it is utterly false to assume that the Liberals '* represent a dying cause ” or are “ living on the traditions of the past.** I iberalism will never die so long as it 1 expresses the hopes and aspirations of the masses of the people—and that is what it is doing to-day. Mr Massey and his followers declare that they* have “ out-Liberaled the Liberals,” rut the absurriitv nt their claim is exposed when it is remembered that they opposed tooth and nail the legislation of the great leaders to whose memory they now do public homage The Liberal Party has every reason to approach to-morrow's contest with con--lid once. In pite of the efforts of the 'lory 'Press to link Liberalism with Ted Fedism. there is lio public apprehension on the point. If the Liberal l programme had contained one ounce of ! Bolshevi vi or Bed Fedism the fact would have been trumpeted abroad ! with tho full strength of the brazen * orchestra of Reform. Failing -any evi- : dcnee of the kind, the Reformers have I attempted to convict the Liberals of an “ understanding ” with the Reds, on j the strength of a statement made by j Mr H. E.. Holland. The prominence I given this statement by the Tory Press suggests that if Mr Holland voted i against the Liberals he would have the hearty concurrence and support of Mr Massey and his friends. The Reformers protest that if Mr Holland a otes with tho Liberals on a no-con-fidence motion moved by Mr Wilford the Liberals should at once abandon the attack on the Government! A more absurd proposition was never put 1 -elore an intelligent electorate. Would Mr Massey abandon any motion because it hud the support of Official Labour, and he might be in danger of meeting Mr Holland in the lobby? He has not said that lie would, and we know that he would not. The Conservatives have tried to stampede the electors with a bogey, but they will not succeed. In Christchurch and Canterbury there are tried and true I iberal candidates offering their services men who have valuable knowledge and experience fitting them to deal with public affairs. Messrs Forbes, Witty, Russell. Ell, 'lsitt Buddo, and Thacker, have served the public of Christchurch faithfully and well, and they are entitled to a further expression of the confidence previously reposed in them.