The Dominion. TUESD AY, APRIL 15, 1913. THE OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1724, 15 April 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESD AY, APRIL 15, 1913. THE OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP

Onb .hears so very little of the Opposition nowadays that it comes as something in the nature of a shock to learn that a possible leader has at'last been unearthed. There are, we know, many "possible" leaders in the ranks of the party already, but, with one exception, perhaps, none of these aro taken very seriously. Me. G. W. Russell, whose recent lamentable effort in the way of a fighting speech discounted still further his chances for the leadership, is, we are told, a "possibility." Mr. Hanan, Mr. Witty, Mr-. Isitt, and others, ■ are all spoken of as possible leaders, but no one ofttside the immediate circle of their friends pretends to regard their claims seriously. Sir Joseph Ward, of course, is in a different category to these gentlemen, but his career as a leader has nothing behind it to inspire belief in his ability to bind together the shattered romnants of his old following, and inspire them to face the long, up-hill fight which lies ahead of any effort to re-establish the' old "Liberal" regime. All who have followed the politics of .this country in recent years know that . Sir Joseph Ward came into office with a record majority, and that under his leadership that majority, despite all the advantage's possessed by tho party then in power, rapidly dwindled away, until in less than six years Sir Joseph' Ward found himself out of office. Sir Joseph Ward possessed some of the qualities of leadership, but if with all the ad-' vantages of office he could not hold tho party togother and retain tho confidence of the country," what chance has he now of doing better with a party torn asunder with internal troublos, and quite demoralised? Wo do not know that Sir Joseph Ward has either the inclination or the time to devote himself to the task, and we merely refer to him now because his name 'has at different times been mentioned as a possible loader. The latest "possibility" referred to, however, adds now interest to tho situation. Sir WUiUAM HALL-JoNES, latc High Commissioner, ex-Minister of the Crown, and for a few months Prime Minister of the Dominion, is coming back to New Zealand, and it is suggested that ho may be induced to once more enter the field of politics. Thcro may be something in tho story that lie is likely to be'willing to take up the leadership of the Opposition, but it hardly seems probable. It should not take him very,long to realise tho change that has. taken place, not merely in Parliament, but in the country since he left Now Zealand. Instead of an overwhelmingly strong "Liberal" party dragging at its heels organised Labour and opposed by a mere handful of "Reformers," the strength and the attitude"of par-' tics has been comoletcly re-east, and new policies brought to Lu-1

bour is no longer content to bo the tool of "Liberalism" while "Liberalism" itself realises that the now Labour-Socialist force has passed beyond its control. Instead of the tlr'^' 10 future being between Liberalism" and "Reform," it will be between Reform and Labouroooinlisni, and Reform will have on its side a largo share of that body of the public' which formerly was found i ranged under the banner of ■ Liboralism. Sir. AVilliam HallJones, indeed, if he takes up politics at all, might even feel that the policy of the Reform party is such that it offers more hope to the country than an effete "Liboralism" or an aggressive and overbearing LabourSocialism. But be that as it may, it is_a good thing to find that there is still sufficient life left in the Opposition to set afloat an occasional rumour that it has a leader in sight. A well-handled Opposition in Parliament can serve a valuable public purpose, and while we believe that the trend of events holds- out little hope for any revival of confidence in the once-powerful "Liberal" party, and that it will gradually disintegrate as a party and its supporters # drift as their inclinations decide into the ranks of its rivals, yet that must take time. After the next elections the Labour-Socialists may bo dignified with the title of his Majesty's Opposition, but in the meantime the privilege rests with the followers of the late Government, and it is to bo hoped that they will make better use of it than they did last session. The first essential to this end is the choico of a leader.