The Dominion. THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1912. THE COMING SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1477, 27 June 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1912. THE COMING SESSION.

It is no doubt stating tho obvious to point out that the session of Parliament which will be opened by his Excellency the Governor this afternoon will be one of momentous importance to tho people of New Zealand. But in matters of great concern, as in smaller things, the obvious is liable to be overlooked, especially where there are side issues to divert attention, and 'in the political situation to-day there are many distracting influences _ obscuring the vital issue. It is desirable, therefore, to focus attention on the fact that during the next week or two not only will the fate of parties bo decided, but tho immediate, and to some extent tho more remote, future of the Dominion will be materially affected by the turn events tako in Parliament. In the stress of political warfare, when the opposing forccs meet in the clash of party combat, the tendency is to lose sight of everything but the fortunes of the contesting parties. Tho cffcr.t on the country of the result of the struggle is obscured by the personal or political interest felt in the participants in the fight. What then is the real issue at stake for New Zealand in tho conflict which will begin with the delivery of the Governor's Speech this afternoon? To answer this question it is necessary to briefly review events which havo led up to the existing situation, and which are sufficiently familiar to our readers to render unnecessary any elaborate analysis.

For over twenty years one party— practically one set of politicians— has had control of the affairs of the country. Under able leadership in its earlier days the party became so overwhelmingly powerful that eventually it was able to do almost as it pleased in tho administration of tho business of tlw Dominion. Its record included some achievements in which it could justly take pride; and, as was inevitable with a party so powerful, it has been responsible for many grave abuses. An unhealthy secretiveness on matters of public concern crept into the methods of those, in office; information which it was tho right of Parliament and the public to possess was kept back, and there was a general tendency on the_ part of Ministers to treat tho affairs of the country as their own private couccrn. After tho death of Mr. Seddon things bccamo worse, and such redeeming features as the partv had possessed gradually disappeared. In policy matters it showed an amazing lack of courage and a changeableness which made it the despair of its friends and the ridicule of its opponents. It piled extravagance on extravagance, pledged tho credit of the Dominion with huge borrowings, followed by wasteful expenditure; increased the cost of government enormously, and collected annually larger and larger sums from the taxpayers to meet- the drain of its extravagant, administration. It was responsible for such scandals as the Mdkau affair, the payments to the Chief Justice, abuses of the existing public works system,, and, generally speaking, sounded the lowest depths of political corruption the country has ever known. That was tho position when Ministers faced the' elections of 1012 with a still powerful but much reduced majority. Under Silt ■ToscPit Y\ aiid the strength and popularity of the party had been steadily waninir. and at the 1912 elections thq.

[ public-, partly ai;o\iswi. to an undci'standiiig of the drift, of altairs. cut ii-way the llnvti-nmi'iit's majoritv altogether. |{... is not necessary to tqucii. (iii e.veiits snbs.'i]ueni to flit! lileetipiiH bevoe.d !sc-iiv,uiig out that the leaders ; of the. party have eo.ntiniuecl thy sani.c old:, tactics which brought such dis- •■>?. ihiHv predecessors iii- ofiiee. We fiivtl t!ie ]>o,sit)'oii of the part-. ; "'-day w..v.se than it- Was alter i ■ C'i'ectj.oiis iif Deeeniiier. for (lie tv.m try has had', acldiiional .evideiiee .since then di. the niter selfishness an:d nariaWiiesS'.or tlie j.iai'ty ;rnil, in : adusiioii, has gained smue fu#hw lJisiK.jii mto the refiiyessiiess of V,';n'dI.s|t tinaiK-ial inethiici's. tiir-.ougii fjiiv ; disclosures made in conned ion with : y'c- o£ file ftnir iii ii l-'ign loahi. ' ' 1! - real issue, then, '.vhieii I'arlia.lilCh;!; will have to lac.; during the coming session, am! which the emm- \! 'ysp; Si-oii.tlj' co'nqerhcd- with, pops ,™cptf t-|j©t .iiipra party squahbrimr. ; aomething iinQre iti-voLvticl fjiaft;thb smaller qii.cstidits : .of policy,' ' r!?'? tfl ticklc'. thp cars of .tiici thbimhtless, pri. w-iiidi the .AiSCKEXzaii Miiiistry is staking its nl '; Cha (|iiesiion which will I'in de.'■■c'i,cl.cd;by- Pariiament- will be. whether ; fbiirc is ■■to be. a..continuance o.f tire n)S!.lipds pf .fijiaiicial 'rpckicssijoss and waste j ■. tiro- .nictiiyds of secrecy and .oyasion.;. the fhctliocl's of (ior-niplioii n 'H;ncic:sr by moans of the ,'i- the niqtjvbds ol lavountasin and injustice which have "dpvulopecl ijn.de'r the Yi'AitJß Acl'iiinistrati.on. until .the\ .;arc; a. menace to .'tl-o morn is of t.tio. i\ation and a dangfi>' 10. the. matpiial welfare of' t.h«y licople. o.t tl® Sviiotlicr .to .l)o:,coiiti:riue!d, or wi!i:ilier the wholesome iiiilisence of a new. soli of rulers of jirogressive views ' is to b.-i iiitrodiiced, and that full and -irncv- investigation of. the j count ry's I which' alone can ijffo.r a. ; s knov/their. true, position, -and which aliVne . (an ena.ble a sre/e. and poiuk! policy .to/be laid to ensure the f.utijte' .■fjpypl.opiiiont ..iindL-grosp'efiifcy -of- the. -Uoiiiiiiion,.There arc members, on the jJ.i.instarial side of .the no doubt,. who have felt for .some time past that- the actions of their leaders ;■ at. ;,t irjes - have ■;ii ofc 4 ' be.en eit lier. J in' .'the ■ 't'.i'-iTsts of. (lie party or. of ..ui couis--t.liP.v miist have- realised that it I I ;■ ? ,n n dc|ii'abliiiithi}i b : ~for ? any" cinei; :.'.P a rty-'.t9J c on.tintfc:'tb'o\ : 'lpjVs^ .and tins must hiivo been thrust lionie ■°n them 'particularly: of late.' They inust know that tlio bti'ik of ilia people hold this view-, and that the 'appearance of. Use Labour jiariy as a reinliu; it jr.ipossiblc for to a sniall linot of extroinistn, who in tiie; fiiEevof; jiai; ties\cl bm iita tb: . ation. ;"It: : refits ; :ia!'geiv l wflli : jiiodprato and section -w';-.-)li'iiislt'rial p/irly, who place the weliare ot' the nation .'above ilii; 111l 11 . I ''P*# s tS^Ofta/'^.pa^rljftwhic]i ; 'i% : i iiejufci ably-'doofiicd, io. say-wriotjier there is ."■fif : '.-&Vrabs.t- ,, iuistablc ((omoralisiii'g- kind, : inj uriou? to all : f !^?;Kei^rniv.partv; ; iiountry;: oil- a souiid a no. stable footing until i'i:! l ® :ipi ; psc ? b.t.- n rii'n.^" : ! .' lC! . i .^.. J' l3 -l Kir( y >ii"ii&'gle. sinksin'toliisignitieauce : coniiiareil- v.-ith tiie largin-Js'siie of Uic conniry's welfare. iVha !.eyev : hap j iehs'. i n f lie voting on tlie;iib : confidoncD"tiiotion^:i^is inevitable .that, the existing lilies of pari v. e carafe: must: l>y readjusied; and ; tho'Kutoria.-.'party;'qffer!-? a soli dually-. 1 lug jioibt-for iho moderate and pr'dr KiX'SSive element .as distinct from the Jiatlical and.ext rnnii.Hf'..' How ••inaiiy,' thcreiarepri.thtf'MinistenaiFsidffWijbv rccognis.i that Hie greatest rriecd.'of and that Um greatest serviee i hey.can' render.their constitueii!:: is to.c-nEur.e the electioii t.o:oiliccipf ;a ncw G6vcr]i-m?Afe':;^rP^i:-5 '9 ,2 etniiarrassing. influences'. of.' the. e\--trqmi^.t|j^e^ddtnpt,pretencfipikM Wc';hayei':eyory 'taflfidMcefijlibwiiveVi'' that a sufficieiit liiunber ivill he found' to end what all'must see is an intolerable.situation. and.oiic prejudicialto the progress.and proc.p&rity-of the .Dominion.. "