THE FINANCIAL SATURNALIA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 424, 5 February 1909, Page 4

THE FINANCIAL SATURNALIA.

No doubt. Me. A.. W. RtjTeekoed will com'o in for some sharp criticism: foy having, postponed until he ceased to be a member oi Parliament his vigorous assault upon tho_ Government's, financial recklessness, which wc repoTted' yesterday • arid wo havo. little doubt, also, that the late-' ncssof his criticism will be urged by the Ministerialist press as. a reason why it should not be listened to, Mb. Rcthee-ro'-'P Once confessed that;the" House was entirely under the thumb of Mr. Seddon, and that a Government: supporter who dared'. to kick over the , traces would promptly feel . the weight -of the late ,Pe_ime ..Minister's istoekwhip. / When- the Prime Ministership foil to Sir Joseph Ward, Mb, . Rutherford predicted that the Ministerialist members; would show a more independent spirit. But he was not long in discovering, that the great : Sed-. don . majority which was. created by the 1905 elections was as servile and obedient to Sir Joseph Ward as it would have been to Mr.vSeddon himself. l He received final proof ; the fact. that, the' Country Party °.£' which ho. had hopes bocame a short-, lived; party of Ministerialists .with a grievance. .It is: no wonder that Kg concluded that it.would bo a waste ; of time to convince Parliament that tho Government was indulging' in "financial saturnalia ■ for which .the bill would be a very heavy one. Nor is it any wonder thatoven, so experienced a man as Mr. Ruth-, erford, observing tho conditions / produced, by "liberalism's" drugging'of the public conscience, should have abandoned the hope that: the forces of sanity, and sincerity would, effect ail improvement in .our. politics..- At tho same timo, he is deserving of blame, for; :not remaining in politics to do what ho might for reform. As to the opinions which he expressed ,at tho Jianmer banquet, they, ar'o •of • course mainly ' in : agreement \yith the views which it is our aim, and the aim oi everyone, who sets , patriotism above party, to advanco at overy possible opportunity. Mr. Ruthem-okd gave some examples of the.extravagances which make up;: the "financial saturnalia" that is merrily proceeding, amidst Ithe. applause■ of! those who make an '■ immediate profit out of it ; and these, should impress everybody who • is capable of honost thought. With I one portion of Mr. Rutherford's speech .we do not-agree. "Until the colony,'.' be said; "had touched. ,tha bedrock of hard times it- would not realise the financial saturnalia in which it had been indulging. ' He did not wish to croak, but he was confident that - tho 'day of reckoning would come." . : To take that view: is to overlook the strength of the largo public which realises moro. and more clearly: the drift; of New Zealand into', insecurity. The general elections showed very plainly ithat; the ~ public is by no 'means so apathetic as it .has. sometimes iippeared tobe, and: the feeling. in favour, of reform, now- well begun, cannot but continue to grow. Wo believe that the public revolt against Ministerial extravagance and injurious legislation will become effective before "the bedrock of hard times" is touched, despite' the . Prime Minister's j defiant announcements that he. will continue on his present course.. The'sooner the drift is checked the. better, this can only. be. done by constancy and vigilance in keeping the public alive to. : thc necessity .for'.reform. •; The longer, the policy: of, restrictive legislation and unrestricted, oxtravagance. is permitted to continue,, the longer and m'ore painful'will bs the .path :back.to. sanity and safety.'