THE GOVERNMENT'S BID FOR VOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1367, 19 February 1912, Page 6

THE GOVERNMENT'S BID FOR VOTES.

PRESS OPINIONS ON THE SPEECH. "A LONG STRING 01? OLD AND NEW PROMISES." (By TeJecraph.-SDecial Correspondent.! Auckland, February 17. Dealing editorially with tho Government's.bid for votes, contained in the Governor's Speech, the "Herald" says:— It is indeed Gilbertian in its tone, more suited to tho proceedings of a mock Parliament than to the dignity of a representative body which has been eallrd together to pro:ioun6e judgment upon a. convicted Government. The country has tried tho Ward Administration by its past'acts, and has given such an unmistakable demonstration of indignant dissatisfaction that even the most -determined supporters of the long-dominant party demand a sweeping reconstruction of the Cabinet, as offering its only hope; yet we find in the long document which sets forth the purposes and policies of this Cabinet n weird repetition of the sonorous and meaningless phrases so often declaimed to a credulous public, and a long Btring of old. and new promises which must excite the laughter of the undeceived. Again we hear the well-worn phrase, of "the speedier settlement of unoccupied Native lnnd." as though Sir James Carroll were a Hercules striving heroically at a task dear to his heart. The traditional war cry is raised against tho aggregation of landed estates, but. nothing is said of the Mokau affair or of the taking of steps to prevent the repetition of such an opisndq.-. An attack is to be made upon the Crown tenant's right of salo in leases which were originally declared to bo "us good as freehold," but no proposal is offered to remedy that monstrous system of Maori landlordism. which is a blot upon the fair fame of New Zealand. Most of the- Reform party's proposals are nominally adopted, as well as many of the suggestions made by critics of Governmental methods, and a choice selection of the proposals of every political jfction. There is comparatively little loft for Mr. Massey to promise unless it be reform in our financial methods, Civil Service reform, and other similar rei'onns which Sir Joseph carefully avoid". Besides, Mr. Massoy's difficulty as a promiser is his quite, old-fashioned prejudice in favour of keeping promises, a prejudice of which nobodv will accuse the 'Ward Administration. The truth is that Sir Joseph Ward does not mind what lie promises so long as lie can catch votes and is quite prepared to amuse and cajole th? simple-minded if thereby he can cling to ofiice. .."ABSOLUTELY BEWILDERING;" Auckland, 'February 17. The "Star" (Ministerial) «iys:-"The programme submitted by tho Government lilt lie Speech delivered at the opening of Parliament is absolutely bewildering in the multitude and magnitude of its proposals-. Some of them have been before the country for a long time, and form an accepted part of the policy of the Liberal and Labour party. Others are new. and are not presented with such detail as would enable anyone unfurnished with a key to the. Miiti-terial mind to pronounce dstinilcly uimn their desirability or feasi-

bility. Moreover, as there is general agreement Mint Hie country has ilocliirctl for a complete reconstruction of the present Cabinet, even if it lias not decreed their expulsion from, oilico in favour of Mr. Mnssey and his party, wo can liardly 'accept the new programme as one which has been very carefully deliberated upon by the Ministers who now hold office, and it certainly has not been submitted to or accepted by members of the present; House whose promotion to Ministerial office will bo involved in the* reconstruction which Hie Government party is suro to insist upon."

TnE REAL. QUESTION. The "Lyttelton Times" (Ministerialist) states:—The first three sentences of the Speech which the' Governor's advisers put into the mouth of his Excellency on I-'ri-day would have met the actual requirements of the occasion admirably. Parliament has been called together for the purpose of determining which party shall occupy .the Treasury behche.-, and no other question is likely to have much interest either for tho proplo or for their representatives till this one has been finally decided. ButMinistors have seized the opportunity to foreshadow an onormous programme of progressive legislation which would have fired the whole country with political enthusiasm and political resentment if it had been submitted under different circumstances. Before the elections it would have provided the Literals with a score of rallying cries; now it is more likely to give tho Reformers additional material for their virulent attacks. ' THE LAST CARD. Tt was expected that the Prime Minister would bid high.to secure the support of the Labour members who are pledged to vote against him (says the "Tiimuu Herald"). If promises could have atoned for the absence of all fixed political principles and increasing maladministration the Government would not. have gone down in the election.-. The election Budget and the election manifestoes teemed with promises to every class and section, but somehow they did not effect their object. The "surprise packet" which was brought down yesterday as a Governor's Speech is stuffed with glittering proposals, intended to dazzle the eyes and subvert the political morality of two or three members, at most, who are not likely to be beguiled so easily from the duty which they owe to their constituents. Sir Joseph Ward cannot really promise that ho will' be able to do any of these tilings, even if the Labour members who are nledged to voto against him are won over" to give him their support. Tho most he can expect, in that case, would be to lead a Government which had a majority by the Speaker's easting vole, and how long would such a Government be able to carry on? If politics must be regarded as a game. Sir Joseph AVard has thrown down liis last, card when the game , was lost already. But the electors have learned to regard the supreme administration of (heir affairs as something much more serious than a game, to be manoeuvred purely for tho advantage of a group of players. They are resolved to have a Government which will attach more value to fixed principles, safe and economical administration, and the general well-being than its own continuance in power, and they will not havo to wait long for that Government. TAKES ONE'S BREATH AWAY. If a political party which had just come into power had been responsible for the Speech which w«s delivered yesterday by the Governor (says the "Wairarapa Daily Times"), we should have said that the Government was extraordinarily bold, and confident to the verge of conceit; but ire should have added that, at auy rate, it had a line sense of its responsibilities, and, for the very boldness of its programme, it deserved a chance to make good. 13ut the facts that such a programme as we published yesterday emanates from n part}- that is discredited, and distrusted, that is actually in a minority in'the House of Representatives and that has not given, effect to such proposals, although it has held power for twenty years, arouses only disgust. How often "has this party put a similar catalogue of promises into the mouth of the Governor—and how often have those promises been given effect,to,?. .Everyone acquainted with the political history of this country knows that, whenever a political crisis threatened, whenever a general election was near, the Government brought out, a tempting Budget, packed so full of schemes for the regeneration of society that the unsophisticated might havo been persuaded that the millennium was at hand, and that Ministers had l»en selected by Providence to make this really God's own country. And-now everyone knows that the principal result of such promises has been legislative experiments (f doubtful value, and an enormous increase in tho cost of administration. A study of the latest Speech from tho Throne shows that it has been built up along tho vicious lines that have characterised earlier Speeches; except that it is,' if possible, more -unrestrained in its language, and more lavish iu its promises. The number and variety of the latter fairly take one's breath away, and yet a. close examination of the catalogue shows plainly that it is'essentially flimsy and designed primarily to catch "votes.

"THE DAY AFTER THE FAIR." What is probably the most radical programme that has yet been promulgated by a Cabinet in Now Zealand or in any other part of tho world is contained in the speech put into the Governor's hands h read at the ceremonial opening of our eighteenth Parliament in Wellington yesterday afternoon. Tho Ward Government has practically promised tho people the sun, and without anybody crying for it. Tho speech contains a most astonishing series of promises, and, at a casual glance, tho electors will havo only one phraso to fit the promises: "Whatj more expense'" Unfortunately for the Ward Government, tho great programme conies tho day after the fair. Had Premier Ward had tho courage to have put that programme before electors when ho went to' the country a few weeks ago, ho might not have, been iu tho quandary he finds himself in to-day—a prospect of being defeated on the first division of tho present session. As it is, the speech is a bomb which will cause moro astonishment to the people generally than damage to the Reform party— Feilding "StaT." "THE APPLICATION OF THE BOOT." The Christchurch "Evening News" says: The amazing -Ministerial programme outlined iu tho Governor's Speech bears out the theory that the Ward Government has hopes of prolonging its life. Tt is almost incredible that Sir Joseph Ward should entertain any illusions on the subject at this stage, biit it is now clear that there is to. bo one last bid for place and power. The Government eau only be acting on t!ie assumption that once the Labour members have discharged their election plodec-s to vote it out of office they will lx> free to vole it in again and take their place in the ranks of the Ministerial party! It is an astonishing conception of the performance of an election pledge. Why go through the farce of helping to vote Wnrdism out if tho men who havo been expressly sent to Parliament to do (his have already made up their minds to set. it un asiai? If the Labour members think they will satisfy their constituents by fulfilling the letter and not the spirit of their nledgcs, th'ey are laying up a good dral of trouble for themselv.-. But that nsneM of tho mal'er is scarcely worth dwelling on for the moment. We do not, suppose I hat Sir Joseph Ward's programme will be taken verv seriously, not because of Die policy, which is easily the l>cst ho Ims ever been associated with, but because the country has no faith in Sir Joseph Ward to earrv it. out. Even if by any political trickery and the betrayal of election pledges ho retains ofiice, or regains it after rejection, he will be powerless to carry out any political ideas that do not commend themselves iu every ffiiy to the Reform party. At present the Government is like a worm on a hnok. It is ivriggling and squirming in u desperately futile fashion. It will promise any tiling, and do anything, to avoid being kicked out. It will frive people its onponents' platform if they want it, as long asj't is allowed to stay in. Such an exhibition of political crawling on the part of a discredited Administration that has long ceased to be fit for anything but the scrao-heap, merely excites contempt and disgust. Tho Ward Government must go, and nothing will give more satisfaction to Ihe country than Ihe application of the boot vigorously and at once." WHAT THE COUNTRY WANTS. The Sjieech delivered hi- the Governor yesterday was cluarly designed to embarrass the Reform party, and especially to secure the. suDnort Labour »'t only in^

(ho House, bill in the country, in Hie ease, of another election lK>cominjj necessary. It is to be regarded as an electioneering address, and as mip.li it is clev/-iiy devised, lint we fancy it will fail in ils object. In the first place, as we have already point ?d out, Iho Labour people—and indeed the country ;;enerally—have had enough of the AVard regime, if is not new measures it wants, but a change nf men. It knows quite well that whatever (he Government's programme, may be, the administration will be conducted on the old lines, and if has hnd enough of them. — "Jlnwke's Hay Herald."

THREE MONTHS TOO LATE. The "Ashburtnn Guardian" says:—"lt is, of course, just possible that the alluring programme now set forth may resloro unity and enthusiasm to the Liberal ranks; but Iho natural law is for the pendulum In swing still further in the direction given lo it by the impetus of the popular verdict at the general election. The Prime Minister will, of course, bo accused of stealing the 'pianks' that Mr. Mnssey had got slacked ready for the building of his 'platform,' and' he will doubtless retort that he has only recovered his own that had previously been purloined. There will be much rhetorical declamation on the subject; but nothing that can be said will alter the fact that the avowal of a bold Liberal constructive policy conies just three'months too late."

AN INSULT TO THE COUNTRY. The Prime Minister of New Zealand for the time being has performed a feat of political daring which, for downright extravagance and ingenuity, has never previously been attempted by the head of a Government in any of the self-governing possessions of the Empire (savs the "Wuirarapa Ago") A more desperate, designing, deliberate attempt to defy the will of tho. people, and to stifle public opinion a.s expressed at the polls has nevei previously been made in the liistorv of British possessions than that for which Sir Joseph Ward is now responsible. Only a few weeks back the Ward partv went to the country to be judged upon it's merits. It submitted its policy in grandiloquent style. It promised reforms here, there, and everywhere. Its appeals to the sympathies and passions of the people were almost pathe'tie. And yet the country, with all these promises and appeals beforo it, declared most emphatically that it would no longer entrust its destinies to a party' which had surrendered every claim to its confidence. With what assurance, with what conceit, with what absolute defiance of political proprieties, do we now find a beaten, discredited Prime Minister submitting a policy of a most bewildering and revolutionary character to the representatives of the people in the hope that by so doing he may secure a temporary political advantage.' A greater insult, we venture to think, was never offered the people of the country.

A WHIPPED SCHOOLBOY. Tho "Wangauui Chronicle" compares the Speech to the pleading of a whipped and contrite schoolboy. "The Speech is a. conglomeration of 'promises all round.' Indeed, so generously comprehensive is fhis last will and testament that its purpose is made only too apparent. It provides the freehold for the freeholder and the nationalisation of industries for tho Socialist, scatters in all directions concessions involving increased expenditure out of a lessened revenue, and recklessly plays ducks and drakes with the first principles of political economy in a vain endeavour to stave off the inovitable."