A FRANK CRITIC

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19432, 17 October 1925, Page 6

A FRANK CRITIC

The “'Mercantile Gazette” has been much quoted in recent weeks by the Nationalist Press, but we are afraid that its editorial effort this week will not receive the same publicity. It would be a pity, however, to permit the commercial journal’s frank estimate of the National Party to go unnoticed. This is how its article begins:—• November 4 next will bjing some surprises. The Liberals, it is reported, are certain that immediately after the election Mr. Coates will be called upon by the Governor to hand over the seals of office to Mr. Forbes. Upon what grounds this belief rests no one knows; the statement that the country is deadly sick of the continual living upon borrowed money, and wishes to obtain a Government which will not load up with a pearly five millions from London, is a rhetorical exaggeration and believed in only by those whose hands are outstretched to grasp those rare and delicate fruits of office, which.are as much prized by those who are outside the orchard as they are by those whose luck it is to occupy the grounds inside. We think that the hustings will show the remnant of Liberals or Nationalists as they have re-christ-ened themselves, that it is always unsafe to prophesy. The article goes on to discuss policy, and complains that neither of the Opposition parties gave a hand to end the strike of seamen. “It seems to us,” says this critic, “that Labour and Liberals were on common ground in deciding to make no committals as to what their action would be if the strike continued. Mr. Coates made himself quite plain. If the strikers would not man and get the ships away, free labour would take their places, and at once. He got a move on, and the ships are away.”