IGNOBLE TACTICS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1912, 21 November 1913, Page 6

IGNOBLE TACTICS.

The effort, which is being made by : the Opposition, in alliance with the, ■ Labour members, to take advantage ' of the strain, placed on Ministers ' by the strike troubles and prevent the ;, progress of business in Parliament. • calls for the strongest condemnation. In the 'House of Represcnta- . tives again yesterday Sir Joseph ■ Waihi and his allies laid themselves out to deliberately and systematic ally obstruct the business' under, eta' ' sidora'tio-n. Hour, after hour'■ was wasted in foolish and empty talk. No pretence was made of giving serious attention to the proposals before the House—the Opposition and their Labour-Socialist, allies simply •laid themselves out to talk against time and to take unfair advantage ■' of tije forms, of Parliament to pre- ; vent any progress being made. It is difficult' to conceive more' meanspirited and despicable political taeties than those which aim jit crippling and emban.'assing # -a Government at a time when its. energies are so fully taxed in protecting the community against a danger which is threatening the peaceful conduct of trade and business and imperilling the prosperity of the whole country. From the outset of the strike ■troubles, Sir Josepii Ward and his Labour-Socialist allies have fail-ad to give the slightest evidence that they realise the obligation wKie'h rests cm them as members' of the- Par- ■ lianient of the country, lathe indus--1 trial crisis whieb has arisen through the recklessness and lawlessness of the Federation of Labour, they have ; shown themselves incapable of sink- ' ing for the moment their personal and party interests and rallying be- ■ bind'the Government and renderifig every assistance to dope with a difficult and dangerous situation. Instead, they have sccn_ in the faeff ■that the Government is so fully oe r cupied in meetinc? the difficulties o| the strife situation .only an opportunity to take Ministers at a disadvantage and further their own petty 'party ends regardless of the effect their selfish aiid unpatriotic action may have on the country, It does not matter very much what business the Government brings forward the obstructive tactics are still pursued* _ A few even-ifip-s ago, qn the Agriculture Bill, which provides for the creation of a Board of Agriculture to furtier the interests of the farming com- ' munity, Sir Joseph War* and his Labour-Socialist allies set up a deliberate blockade which lasted for some hours. The effect of such action could only be to encourage the strikers to believe that their friends in. Parliament were punishing the farming community for daring to send special constables to WolHmKton and elsewhere to uphold the law and enable- their produce, to be shipped to the markets ofihs world. Now the obstruction is directed against a Bill to repeal the vicious Second Ballot Act; and the strikers when they read of the persistent stonewall and the { all-night sittings which must follow. I for the business mu.sJ_.go on, will .no doubt rejoice at the difficulties which are being made for the Government, which they hate because it has done its duty and prevented them terrorising the community. Yesterday afternoon M'r. Payne., who life his Socialist fci low-members, Mii.ss.its. Webb and Robertson, has been busying himself ivi assisting and encouraging the strikers, gave- notice of a want-of-coufidence motion, condemning the Government, for not settling the Strike. This is another device intended to waste time and block the ordinary business of Parliament while at the same time "playing down" to the strikers.. The Government- wonld be foolish to take any notice of a want-of-confidcncc- motion coming from the member for Grey Lynn, and the 'incident is worth noting an evidence of the manner in which the opponents of the Governieti.t; are seeking by every means within, their power to embarrass Ministers and encourage .(lie strikers. ~lt Isa den!orabli» thififr flirtf. fhn Opumi)ii.U! should diisplav so little sense of fcsijoasibUity and

d so little regard for the interests of ;- the general"public at such a time as 4 this." They, no doubt think it will y assist their party schemes and ens able them to claim the'assistance of f the Labour-Socialists and anarchists e of the Red Federation at the next ' general election. They overlook the t fact, however, that they have shown !, themselves to their own friends and y to the whole country in their true ;. colours. They apparently fail to see i that the public must contrast their i, attitude with that of the. Govern? nieu-t, and thus gain a- very fair- idea 1 of how the people's interests would i have been sacrificed had the Oppose o tiou been in office at the present - critical time. Mr. Massey and his - colleagues, though no doubt greatly i inconvenienced by the added strain j placed upon them by the selfish -and a mean-spirited tactics of the O-ppO" 3 sition, are not .at all likely to be dc- ? t'erred from carrying through their * programme both inside and outside i Parliament.