BANKRUPT LIBERALISMS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 725, 26 January 1910, Page 5

BANKRUPT LIBERALISMS

' i. Sir,—A/.fewj'.days, ago, the /Premier/-in' brighter'/.piJ<K spect's for the ; .peoidl'S^6f^New.: Zeaiand", :but/.if;.jiny l • amines / Sir' "iloseph . /Ward's.: "optiinistic, views' he i'jwill j be':Unable,' to';discbve'r..:any-" thing ; in,"; them'/that / entities', the' present .Government to /any. .'credit, if /the money: market'/is/:more.;.olaStici:' if /better. "brices' prevail.ff6r/,our'.?staple;prbduM.'.aai;fav-.. durable llseasons' ;for - crops.' /'/These, are things. that .a; so-called ■ paternal/ Government has no.control over, but,if we turnto /■;its;- legislative^./achievements /find a paltry.; record-indeed. / .All; ,: ib/';labour legislatiori. has', broken down : :ih;,pvactico.''| ~Th'e Arbitration Act; has/failed' in. its':objective.,/It- has/failed to . prevent strikes.. :It; has; not /.eliminated.' sweating/; During his 'leeture inDunedin,/Mr. ; Foster Fraser stated ; that the- song of /the/ shirt was still eu.ng in that city 'by, underpaid; ■ needlewomen, and all of Mr. Millar's amendments; to. an'artificial; Act; only add 'to tho weight., of ' its weakness''and hasten, its : downfall.; .The/ Arbitration - Act must' go .by,;the, ;board/ - Turning.: to . land:, mat-. ; ters, even; a.; miiid'j reader .cannot, discovej' ■the .Government's.; policy.. •. After a con,tinu'bns,.reign, of..twenfy..years, and. an enormous ./expenditure of a ..'compulsory ;land -;-;purchaso /:/echeme/- involving/- in/creised/outlay /and/ftaxation/'for/public ; w6rkSjf;92o.!p.ersbh.i.OTra ; 'half.,the occupied land;.of.'New: Under .theoeterhal; leaie a, racltrentihg;-system"; of -subleasing . la developing. The Government, /by : its ■purchase/methods,/his.- the .'value, of, land-to balloon ■heights, /far-beyond.its true/ productive ..capacity,'-' and it, :raids the/pockefe jof the'landless-- workers^'-.to .recoup ; the; deficit on an" unsound/financial schemo^/Fiasco;/'fizzle',.. : and; failure' are' writ largo all- over tho Government's policies; "bht: the :farcQ is ' nearly/ over.-/ With; .the:/demiso. 'bf Mr; Seddon,-/'Liberalism' -went /into;, a /decline," from which; it has never :- recovered,,/and. when-.. Sir ! Joseph Ward/made/his.i melo-dramatio ; exit/from Wellington ' under'.' police /'protection/ bogus; Liberalism /died a ; tragic' death, .'andit is useless toldig/its corpse. /Far' better to biiry -;it; under, an'-avalanche, of /ballots at, the next, election!—l am, etc.; •. ; . FRANK W.'BURKE. ; : Ashburton, January 19. ' ' ■