The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1909. A FOREIGN-VIEW.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 434, 17 February 1909, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1909. A FOREIGN-VIEW.

. The political situation loft by our General Election is the subject of a leading article in the London Times of January • 8 last. These long-rango Views are always interesting'; and. when they are based upon a reasonably sound acquaintance with the 'facts, and are formed without propossession, ,as in- most cases they naturally must be,', they-are valuable also., The competent observer at a distance sees the general drift which is hidden for many on the spot'by tho small eddies and disturbances. ' The Times opens by noting the fact, which has' been rather overlooked of late, that the predominance of any party always comes to an end in time, and it thinks that'"there are strong indications that the Liberal party in New Zealand is drawing to the close of. its long domination." The reduction of the Government's certain majority from forty-two to fifteen—the Maori members are not counted in this comparison—ia regarded as "a vary serious

reduction of strength," and one that "becomes more significant in view of what seems to bo a general fallingroff in the majorities returning Government candidates, and: of tho' disaster that has ovcrtaken many prominont ' supporters, including a Cabinet Minister and . the senior Whip of the party." Our coij- : temporary, after expressing its uriccr- [ tainty as to whether tho result of the i elections is "a temporary setback of the I Liberal party" or the beginning of a ; movement which will wrest power from ; its hands, suggests that the Government's reduced majority may bo duo to tho fact that "many, of those who obeyed the compulsion of Mr. Seddon's masterful personality, did so against their , inclination," so that "now that the autocrat has gone, the. inevitable reaction against ths autocratic system which; he, perhaps unconsciously, founded, is dis- , integrating. tho partjr." Whether tho Government can maintain its hold on office "will probably depend upon tho conduct and good fortune of • the reconstructed Cabinet"; "conciliation of tho more moderate elements'showing signs of ; revolt may result in, a»working majority three years hence." ' It is not surprising that' tho Times regards the ' difficulty .which the Prime .Minister had iti forming his new Cabinet, and tho rather poor quality of his colleagues, as anything but good auguries for his party's future. It is a very .old fact, of course, 'that/the poverty of the material which Sir Joseph had to work upon,is due to tho deadening of Mr. Seddon's hiigo energy and insatiablo thirst for power; What- is chiefly to be the comments of th& Titnes is., the fact that, tho setback to the Government is very clear to foreign observers/ The Prime Minister will, of course, refuse to admit that the reduction of his majority has any significance at,. all. That I would be of no account,. however, if he were to behave as if he did realise the meaning of the great change in the public's opinions—a change which, as tho details of the voting show, is far greater than would appear from the newstate of the parties in Parliament. As ; to whetheivSiß Joseph Ward will secure' another majority in 1911 by the "conciliation of the more .moderate elements show-, ing signs of, revolt," it must be conciliation of _ a very special kind that will • secure this end. It must embrace • obediehco to those who are growing alarmed it" the increase of the financial burden and the extravagance that lies behind the Government's. administration; it must include a real and effective recognition of those who seo - infinite . danger to the country in a multiplication oi the restrictive burdens \ipon ; . industry;. '.it must, meet the views of thoso. who desire an end of political, patron'ageand the 'i conversion of tho powers of government to party ends. Whether Sir Joseph ! Ward can bVing himself-to a policy.'of ' conciliation:'of "this sort is open 'to ' doubt, but it. is his only chance of keep- \ ing his party in power. . <