The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1911. CHANGED CONDITIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1290, 20 November 1911, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1911. CHANGED CONDITIONS.

There appears to bo a growing conviction throughout the country that a changc •of Government is a very possible contingency as the result of the coming elections. It is a great many years since this possibility was seriously considered by the electors, and the changed attitude of the public is very noticeable. To the more optimistic supporters of the Reform party the prospects appear so bright that they are looking forward with the greatest confidence to a sweeping victory at the polls. No doubt they are encouraged in this view by the success wliich the Reform party in Canada recently "gained over the Continuous Laurier Ministry as well as by the widespread-feeling of dissatisfaction with the Ward Administration. It is not a wise thing to prophesy concerning the prospects of political parties at election time, but there can be no doubt that very material changes are ahead in the politics of the Dominion. TheWAKD Administration, after two. years of office, received a very sharp lesson at the-elections of 1908. It lost something like 10 seats. It only requires to lose 12 seats at the coming polls to find itself unablo to command a- majority in Parliament. Put in this way, and taking into consideration the undoubted decline of the Ministry in public favour, the task ahead of the Reform party docs not appear at all an impossible one. That the Government and its supporters realise this has been made very clear. Can any elector recall an occasion on which so many previous supporters of the Government found it advisable to declare themselves as "Independents"! There are two reasons for this. In the firsfc_ place it goes to show that the waning popularity of the Government is recognised even by its supporters. Not so very long ago the Government brand was eagerly competed for by candidates as a valuable aid to a seat in Parliament. Now it is shirked as a hindrance to that end. But there is another reason for this sudden fondness for the new label. _ In the event of tho Government being defeated theso "Independents" will be in the happy position of being able to throw in their lot with the new party in power. If they did not regard the Government as being faced with the possibility of defeat, would they be so anxious to adopt the role of Independents? We think not.

Another sign of the changed attitude of the public is the enthusiasm with which the Leader of the Kci'orm party is heing received all over the Dominion. Even in the Prime Minister's electorate 011 Friday last he was given a more striking and enthusiastic welcome than the Pimm Minister himself received in the same place n, few days previously. Can such a demonstration as this he regarded lightly when estimating the outlook? Compare the receptions given to Mr.. Massey, who travels around at his own expense and with empty hands, with the ma» recaptions prepared far

the Piuiik Minister, electioneering at the public expense and laden with promises to be met out of the leaxury chest. Can anyone doubt 1 iicli has the more genuine hold on public esteem at the present time— ff m A n 0 ll!ls n °thing better to oner thiiu a. clean record, clear-cut principles, high courage in adverst'v 11 "?, 1 . P v °m'se of honest fulfiln', i'?i i ll ? P art rs programme; or .<j titled louder of a party which has placed the personal aggrandisement of its members above all cite; which has consistently scuttled from its professed principles at the first sign of danger; which has made a tool of Labour on the back of which It climbed into power; arid which now, iii its last desperate effort to retain ofiiee, is gaining instead the scorn and contempt of all honest people by tile reckless and transparent electioneering devices with which it is seeking to bribe the constituencies'? Can anyone honestly say that Sir Joseph Ward, Bart., oven with all the advantages which come of office and patronage and the disposal of public funds—with the still further advantage of a huge Parliamentary majority for three yearsto enable him to carry out his promises if he wished to —has strengthened his position with the people of New Zealand since lie faced- the electors as Prime Minister at the hustings thrco years ago 1 Of course no one can say anything of the kind. He has lost the confidence of a large scction of the public which previously supported him and his methods have aroused distrust and concern amongst all classes. It is under those c,hanged conditions that the Warp Administration has to face the verdiefc of the people. Almost every member of the Ministry is fighting' desperately fpr his individual existence in Parliament; past supporters arc seceding from the party in all directions; Labour has risen in revolt against the neglect and treachery which it has met with at the hands of the people it assisted into office ; and there is _ a widespread feeling amongst citizens pledged to no party, but studyingonly the national wcilbeing, that it is time that an investigation was made into the country's affairs by a new set men who have nothing to conceal. In these circumstanccs the Reform party has good grounds for hope—the outlook for better things is promising indeed.