The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 11, 1912. THE NEW GOVERNMENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1489, 11 July 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 11, 1912. THE NEW GOVERNMENT.

The new Government yesterday I faced .Parliament, and was granted thrco weeks in which to prepare its programme for tho session_ and to get into touch with tho various Departments of State ■ which it will nave to administer. With one or two notable exceptions, members generally extended to Mr. Massey and his colleagues that courtesy and consideration which was their due, and which serves an admirable purpose in assisting members to forget for tho moment party divisions and the asperities of party strife. There is not a member of the House who, inhis heart, does not know that Mr. Massey has thoroughly earned and thoroughly deserves tho position he occupies to-day, and it is pleasant to think that there are some amongst his opponents capablo of sinking for the moment their 1 party views and making recognition of the personal merits of _ a worthy foe. Tne late Prime Minister, tho Hon. T. Mackenzie, did.this gracefully and with credit to himself and to his party. Mr. Veitch,' who may be regarded as the Leader of the Labour party, also courteously extended , his congratulations. Even Mr. Laurensoi,, as bitter a party man as could be found anywhere, showed a proper appreciation of'the occasion, and added his felicitations admirable spirit. But not so Sir Joseph Ward. As soon as his leader had sat down ho proceeded to attack the ■personnel of the now Ministry in a petty and paltry spirit, utterly out of place at such a time. Seemingly his defeat rankles so bitterly that he could not allow a moment to pass without venting his feelings concerning the Reform Government. While professing to congratulate Mr. Massey, and while promising him all reasonable help, no proceeded to attempt to stir up strife and discord ■b.v descending to the depths of raising issues, of petty parochial rivalry, mid by appeals to personal jealousies. It was altogether a painful exhibition, and probably there were not half a dozen members in the House who did not feel that an »-t,tack of the kind at that stage—when

the now Government had not been more than ten on tho Trea sury benches —was entirely oilt of place and discreditable to the party from which it emanated. It is this sort of thing that is responsible for so much of the bitterness that has crept into political controversy in recent times, and there nas been no greater offender than Sir Joseph Ward. Mr. G. W. Russell offended in a similar manner, and although he attempted to cover his lapse by an assumed air of joviality, tho pretence was very apparent to all. No one can object in the slightest to the opponents of the new Government doing all within their power to expose any weaknesses it may possess, or to criticise its actions or policy in any reasonable way. But there are occasions oven in the most strenuous political struggle when the parties for the moment cease fighting and exchange those courtesies which do honour to victor and vanquished alike; and such a time occurred yesterday, when one side went out of office and the other came in. As a question- of taste, there can be no doubt that both the members mentioned left a. very unpleasant impression ; as a matter of strategy ,_ it is equally certain that their action was beneficial neither to the interests of the party nor to their own standing with members. Perhaps it should be noted that both genthmen are reputed to be aspirauts to the leadership of tho Opposition. This may account for their anxiety to. display their prowess as critics of the new Government. .We should imagine that ere this they havo realised that the impression they created is not calculated to strengthen their claims in the eyes of the party. Both sides are very tired of the high top note of discord which Sir Joseph Ward has so frequently introduced in recent years, and if he still has ambitions to regain tho leadership of the party which ho led with such illsuccess in tho past, he will need to exercise better judgment and endeavour to practice greater self-con-trol. Ho might also profit rby the example set him. by his late leader, Hon. T. Mackenzie, in the matter of those littlo oourtesies which go to smooth the political pathway and create ijleasanter relations for all parties. The new Government went through its first ordeal with a cheerful unconcern which augurs well for its behaviour in the affrays which are certain to come when the' House meets threo^ycoks l hencc. Mr. Massey was remarkably prompt in choosing his Cabinet. If he is equally ready with his programmo for the session ahead, Parliament will in deed have started on a new and a better era. Trickery and sharp practices in politics, as in private life, inevitably bring those who pursuo them into trouble. Tho House, like the country, wants plain, straightforward dealing. Tncro must be no keeping back of _ information, no strategical delaying of important Bills in order to rush them through a weary House at unearthly hours in tho dying days of the session; no tactical manoeuvring with public works grants and votes on the Estimates; and all the rest of the threadbare tricks practised by the Continuous Ministry. There should bo no roason why an honest and competent Government should not take Parliament and tho country fully into its confidence and conduct its business on sound and straightforward lines. Mr._ Massey, wo have little . doubt, realises that this is expected of him —we have little doubt, also, that to the best of their ability, he and his colleagues will endeavour to fulfil these expectations,