POLITICAL TACTICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1403, 1 April 1912, Page 5

POLITICAL TACTICS.

DISCUSSION BY VICTORIA COLLEGE JJEJJATINU SOCIETY. On Saturday evening a fairly largo audience assembled in ths social hall ut Victoria College- to hear a debate on thu motion: "Thai the tactics adopted by tho Government in the late political crisis worn not such as should bo adopted by political leaders in the future." This debate was the hrst ever held at, Victoria College, upon a contemporaneous political question.

Mr. G. W. Morice, M.A., who moved, drew a broad distinction between political and private honour. -Men were prepared, for the sako of their party, to do many things they would hesitate to.do in private life, ami it was on the basis of this indulgent standard that he would base his estimate of the ethical worth of tho attitude of the political leaders in question. What was the Government's policy at the election? It hud none: there was not a singlo great political question upon which it was not divided against itself. It went to the electors relying entirely upon a dimly glorious past. However ambiguous, in some respects the verdict may have been, there was one question upon which it was emphatic—the electors had had enough of Sir Joseph Ward. Under such circumstances, Parliament .should have been called at once, but it occurred to tho Liberal leaders that the ambiguous judgment of the people might be wrested in their party's favour if only by a little judicial management certain Labour , votes could be gained. To (his task they set themselves; pressure of some sort was brought to bear from certain quarters to induce, members of Parliament to break their pledges. Then came the wonderful Speech from the Throne. Formerly there had beeu no policy—now there was too much policy. An extraordinary situation iii a session which was admittedly convened only for the purpose of deciding leadership. The climax was reached in Sir Joseph Ward's sacrifice of himself, thereby offering to Labourites a pretext for breaking faith with their constituents. All these facts, the speaker held, were utterly unworthy of political leaders. Mr. F. Hall-Jones, 8.A., in a spirited reply, after commenting adversely upon the alleged distinction which his opponent had drawn between political and private morality, spent a considerable limn in appealing to his audience to look at tho matter free from ;ill party prejudice, and decide the question on its merits. When we looked for proof and evidence, we were treated to mere insinuation. Sir Joseph Ward was justified in considering that the people were not in favour of the Opposition—at all events, he was not goiug. to give in merely because the Opposition said he was beaten. The situation was pre-eminently ono for mature deliberation—not for rash judgment, and no nne could have been a more capable judge of this matter than the Liberal leader himself. That was why Parliament was not called sooner. The result of prolonged deliberation was to convince Sir Joseph Ward that he himself, and not Liberalism, was the cause of the revulsion of feeling shown at the elections. If only he resigned, his party would be saved: if ho attempted to retain office, his party would fall. After this view, and not till then, was Parliament to be assembled. Then it was found, as ho had foreseen, his retirement satisfied the demands of Labour, and accordingly ho did tho only honourable thing .under the circumstances —lift resigned. Mr. G. G. Watson, in supporting Mr. Morice, indulged in a scathing comment upon the universal benevolcnco outlined in the Governor's Spceoh—reforms of nil sorts, roads, railways, bridges, free law, old age pensions, cottage farms, Stato Bank notes for everybody. The solo policy of the Liberal Government during those, days was. not to secure the observance of tho will of the people, but to savo the- party,

Mr. C. Struck, who seconded Mr. HallJones, defended the attitude of the Labour membovs. They bad, he claimed, been fooled by the Opposition, and were justified in turning round when they found out Ihe facts. Ho quoted Mr. D. M'Xaron a<; saying: "If Labour throw in its lot with the Opposition it would practically comniit suicide." Such facts as these justified their change of attitude to tho political parties. In the discussion which followed, the following members took pnrt, Messrs. R. Onilliam. F. M'lCenzic. Stevenson, A. Treadwell, Casey, GoiHsborough, Swnco, Delaiiiore, Jackson, Rodger?, Caddick, nnil Evans. Mr. Atkinson placed the five best sjwalcnrs in tltr> following order: Messrs. Hnl!•Tones. Watson, Morice, Quilliam, and Stvuek. ■ The motion, on beine put to the meptimr. ,-iftor several members had left, the hour being Vie, w «s lo.st by a small majority.