NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1412, 12 April 1912, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

When Mr. T. Mackenzie accepted the leadership of tho "Liberals" from the Caucus, he accepted with it the Governor's Speech policy—that overwhelming list of reckless schemes of radical legislation. We wondered at the time that his thirst for office should have been so great as to persuade him to swallow that policy, and wo predicted trouble for him. It is rather entertaining io watch his efforts to get rid of his legacy, although it may not appear- at all funny to the good folk whom the

"Liberals" iivo bracketing with themselves as "Progressives." Following up Mit, G. W. Russell's extremely broad hint in Christchurch, the Prime Minister declared at Manaia on Tuesday night that "political rest was needed. They wanted good administration, less legislation, and more practical work.'' The late Government may be left to grin and bear this nasty slap the best way they may; and in the meantime we may wonder what Messrs. Payne, RonEirrson, andVEiTCH, and the Labunr sections to whom the Government looks for support, will think of the haste with which Mn. Mackenzie and his friends are fleeing from the policy of the Caucus. The Caucus, under the dictation of the Labour members and the ultra-Radical wing of (he Wardists, adopted the Governor's Speech policy. Their friends made the 'adoption of it the basis of their pretence of a "progressive solidarity.'' And now Mr. Mackenzie and his colleagues wish to repudiate it! Their only excuse for existence is their commission to enact the enormous and unprecedented legislative programme in the Speech; and now they are saying that what is wanted is "political rest," "less legislation" ! It was inevitable that the Speech policy, as we predicted, would land the Government in trouble. The attitude of the Labour men and the Radicals, who are attached to the Government only by the hope of more legislation and lots of it, will be interesting.

While wc have dealt generally in a separate article with the attitude of the Government on the Defence Act, there is a point of detail that deserves notice. At Wednesday's deputation (from the Citizens' Defence League) Mr. A. 11, Atkinson expressed the opinion that there was little deterrent effect in the provision of perpetual disfranchisement for those who neglect to obey the Act, and the Minister replied that he held an opposite view. The probability is that Mr. Atkinson is the more likely to be right, for the reason that objection to the Act is a thing in the presence of which deterrents are not thought of. We are going to suggest that the provision of perpetual disfranchisement is an improperly severe penalty for failure to obey the law.' It is an extremely severe penalty for the broach of any law, and as a penalty for young men for their folly it is out of all proportion. There is simply no comparison, in point of magnitude, between the brief, or even the prolonged, loss of one's bodily liberty, and the lifelong loss of one of the mr.st valuable and vital oJ one's social and political liberties. Think of a young fool who refuses to obey the Act, and who, after he has conn; to mental maturity, sees and regrets his folly; and then think of what a lifelong political ostracism will mean to him. The failurc to register should not involve the youthful offender in livinir henceforth as a political pariah. We are confident that Parliament will gladly modify this penalty if if is given an opportunity to do so, either by substituting some different lhinjr--a special lax. for example—or by limiting the di* franchiscmwil lo r.oinc reasonable term of years. The Act will not be

weakened thereby, .and it will be purged of an absurdity and an injustice.

The first ten days of last month Here very bad days lor tin; hopes ol 1.1k; British Liberals. Tlv?y saw, in the opinion of I lie Spectator, the delivery ol file nut/i </(■ //nice to Home Rule, Women's Suffrage, and Disestablishment! So far as Women's Suffrage is concerned, the Spectator is obviously right. The campaign of property destruction by the Sull'raglst maenads alienated in llic end the last staunch friends of the movement, amongst the daily newspapers. Women's Suffrage in Britain is, for the present, a dead and discredited idea. As to Home .Rule, the Spectator relies upon the. result of the _ South Manchester election, the significance of which we at this end of the world failed to grasp. Manchester is the stronghold of Liberalism. In _ 1!)0(> Sin Arthur Haworth, the Liberal member, won by a majority of_<l2H2. In January, 1010, he won again by 2452. In December, 1010, he was elected unopposed. Last month the enormous Liberal majority in the heart of the Liberal territory was converted into a minority. The Unionist candidate, Mn. Gi.azebrook, won by 570 votes. To all England the meaning of the election was clear: the Liberal Government is doomed. It is the climax of the series of Unionist wins at by-elections, and _ the Spectator would seem to be justified in declaring that nobody can now believe that Home Rule, or, for that matter, Disestablishment, can ,; he forced through Parliament, subsequently to stand two years' criticism, and filially under the Parliament Act be imposed upon the country without the electors" being allowed an opportunity to express their opinion. It is interesting to note that the leading Liberal journals, the Daily Xr.m and Manchester Guardian, while admitting the gravity of the Sit.ith Manchester reverse, can only plead that their defeat was due to tin "misrepresentations" ofthoir political opponents. Why is it that Radicalism, here as in England and elsewhere, so often meets defeat with this wearisome gag ?

The politest for the Wellington Mayoralty is shaping very favourably for the Labour candidate. This is not duo to the claims of Mn. M'Larex to recognition at the hands of his fellow citizens, but rather to the fact that the three other candidates announced will be likely to split the votes of the bulk of the burgesses who may he expected to vote against the Labour nominee. Any one of the three in a straight-out contest would probablv score a victory over Mr. M'Laren in the present temper of the public, but Ms all three are said to be determined to go to the poll Labour may score a victory Mr. M.'Larks has his pood points, but it can hardly be said that they nualify him in any high decree for the role of Mayor of the city. It would be. a good thing in the circumstances if the other candidates could be brought together with a view to securing the retirement of one or more of them.