The Dominion. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1912. AN OUTSIDE VIEW OF OUR POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1433, 7 May 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1912. AN OUTSIDE VIEW OF OUR POLITICS.

In its issue of March 23 the London Times had a leading article upon the political situation in this country of a much more sensible kind than tho average English article upon New Zealand affairs. An outside view is often a useful aid to the ref9cussing of one's ideas, and the article we refer to has the merit of being well-informed._ It appeared, we should explain, just after the election of Me. Mackenzie to the leadership of the "Liberal" party, ancl before his announcement of his Cabinet. It was quite obvious to The Times that the wiping out of the Government's majority meant that "Liberalism" as we have known it is done with, but as to the future nothing appeared certain. Naturally enough our contemporary concluded that "the composition of the Cabinet which Mr. Mackenzie is now to form will probably throw some light on the future course of affairs. The Times appears to have expected that Mr. Mackenzie would choose a Ministry that would 'show him an opponent of the extreme Radical element that had thitherto been half the tool and half the master of the Seddon and Ward Ministries. "Me. Mackenzie," it said, "is generally credited with moderate views, and it is possible that his succession to the place of Sib Joseph Ward may produce a rapprochement between the moderate section of his party and the Opposition." Tho hope was added that this solution of the difficulty would emerge in order to save tho country from' "the three-party deadlock which perplexed the Federal politics of Australia for nearly ten years." Wo have had no word that The Times had any comment,upon what it must have considered tho extremely surprising decision of Mr. Mackenzie to load his Ministry with two colourlcss people like Mr. Te Rangiiiikoa and Mr. Colvin and four violent lladicals like Messrs. Laurf.nson, Eli,, 11usseix,_ and Han an. Our contemporary will probably fancy that either New Zealand is an inexplicable country or Mr. Mackenzie an inexplicable person. . Of much interest is The Times s discussion of the alteration of the face of New Zealand politics. As it points out, the "Liberal-Labour coalition under John Bai,lance" won its original victory on (he issue of land reform, but.- "this is not au issue any more, ' since an o\erwlii'lining majority uf I he pi'iiplt! lavoiirs making laud available for small proprietors. The only actual issue, in The Timcs's opinion, is the issue between the Labour or •Ilftdi&al wtxomiata oa ifefi WW .bAttft.

and the Moderates on the other. So far as general politics and legislative futures are concerned, our contemporary is clearly right, but it has evidently a great deal to,learn concerning the administration of the "Liberal'' party, for while it mentions that "administrative reform and a thriftier attitude towards loan" are the mark of the Reform party it says that "these differences fire not profound"' They- wero any way the _ "differences" that smashed "Liberalism"; but to-day the Ministerial party have so completely abandoned their buoyant antagonism to reform in any shape, being indeed glad to admit the .Reform case, that we may congratulate the country that the campaign of the past four or five years in favour of dean and economical government has triumphed. At Balclutha Mr. Mackenzie threw no light upon what may be expected of him. His explanation of the inclusion of several ardent .Radicals in his Cabinet, who will leave it only to join the Labour party along with Mr:. Fowlds, was extremely unsatisfactory. "The Government," he explained, "represents the collective interests and ideas of that side of the House lie is at present the head of." This is something like the truth—Mr. Mackenzie really is the vessel that- contains capitalists and Socialists, the interests of Mr. Vigor Brown and Mr. Isitt, freeholders and leaseholders, pledge-breakers and pledge-keepers. One thing at least is as abvious to New Zealanders, who are too close to the position to realise all its broad features, as to The Times, which can see most of the broad features without the- details, and that is, that _ the _ present Ministry's position is quite untenable. The old "Liberal-La-bour" alliance has ceased to' bo possible.