POLITICAL POINTS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15992, 8 December 1919, Page 5

POLITICAL POINTS.

Giving his ideas of the future political state of the country, Dr Newman said Thursday night that the Liberal Party was disintegrating. It was not the party that it was in Mr Seddou’s time. Later it would break np, and some members would join the Reform side. Dien there Would be two parties—the Reform Party and a more moderate, bigger, stronger. (A voice: “Sauer.”) “Yes, I thought you wanted that—a saner Labour Party” led by Mr Paul and Mr Yeitch, and Mr Smith.” (Voices: “No.”) Answering some intcrjcctors, Dr Newman said that the Labour Party had not go a dog’s chance of getting a majority. Die party had to get a wider outlook, “more courage and vision” —a

phrase Mr Semple had been fond of using in Parliament—before it could hope to succeed.

“All arc agreed that no one should want who is prepared to work, and no one should want who cannot work, while a gracious God and a bounteous country send enough and to spare for all,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell at Brooklyn recently, when dealing with the National Superannuation. Another point stressed by the speaker was—“ Education is one of the greatest functions of the State. The children of to-day are the men and women of to-morrow, and the State must ensure that they are made good citizens.”

The Napier Daily Telegraph pertinently observes that the Reformers are preaching two gospels. One is that Sir Joseph Ward ie a statesman of such ability that his withdrawal from the National Government is to be deplored. The other is that Sir Joseph is a dangerous opportunist, a reckless plunger and all the rest of the familiar stock-in-trade of the Massey claquers. The two Reform gospels, says our contemporary, would have the people believed that the liberal leader is and that he is not capable—“that his services to the State are so valuable that be has injured the State by separating from Mr Massey, and yet that he is an incapable and reckless plunger; that his defection from the National Government is a blow to the best interests of New Zealand, and that he is at the same time such an incompetent politician, such a reckless ‘plunger’ in finance, and such a featherhead opportunist that he is willing to sacrifice his country on the altar of party politics. Reform cannot have it both ways. Will Reform kindly clear its mind, if it has a mind, and tell the electors which of the two portraits it is simultaneously painting of Sir Joseph Ward is to be regarded as ‘tile true presentment.’ ”