TEE EPIDEMIC OF SPEECHMAKING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2005, 12 March 1914, Page 4

TEE EPIDEMIC OF SPEECHMAKING.

Quite a, Jot of political speethmakiag has been indulged in of kte r ■ both by Ministers aftd tlwir opponents, but it is doubtful if the public has been very much stirred thereby. On the side of the Opposition, Sir Joseph Ward,' in his' Winton, and also in his ftuncdm, speech, was very vague and indefinite regarding the future policy and pro- . gramme of his party, and his utterances, in consequence, fell somewhat flat. His first lieutenant, lbs member for Avon, certainly attempted ■ to stimulate interest in' the party's welfare by supplying what he styled a, policy, hut unfortunately all that his programme amounted to was a f declaration that if ho had his way the party would "tackle" practically j all fe social ills that he-'eoiild think jof. The smaller fry of the party, who have been electioneering throughout the country, such as tho . member for Nelson, Mr. AtmoihS, have, been seo.ldin.B- the Government with some vigmr, but they have dis- ■ counted themselves to a large 1 extent by their bitterness or by overstating ! their ease. The Governmcntf is not I beyond criticism, and it is a good i thing for Ministers that their actions should be closely scrutinised, but it | k placing too great a strain on tie f credulity of t& public to expect them to swallow the wholesale eon- . defisnatiOß and abuse of E«cb callow aftd inexperienced politicians as the member tor Nclsojft. That is really .where the Opposition fails, There is no light and shade in its criticism. Everything- is wrong with the Government, and the Government is responsible for everything that is wrong, according to those who profess to- speak for Wardisra. Sweeping _ condemnation of this nature carries little weight at any time. :but it is particularly ineffective at the present janctiire, when the performances of the past two sessions are still fresh in the public mind, and the tame .fashion in which theOpposition, followed at the heels of the Government and supported almost the whole of its policy measures has not yet been forgotten. On the other hand. Ministers have been freelj; taking advantage of opportunities for platform work, and have, kept the public particularly weil-informed concerning the a.'cbfeverci.ents of Reform during tie party's brief but memorable- term of #fßce. No doubt it is. desirable that the Governinent should answer its, ■critics as _ occasion offers, but it is doubtful if so much spcecb-niakifig at the present juncture is necessary, The weakness of Opposition criticism as well as the weakness of the Wardist faction throughout tho country almost render it unnecessary for Ministers to trouble about the campaign werk which is being directed against them just now. Such speeches, bowser, as that delivered at Wynd'bain last evening by the Minister of justice, the H'oN. A. £. Berdhan, serve to keep before the public the salient features of the political situation. We do not agree with the Minister as to the nature of the fight ahead. Wardlsm wo believe to be a hopeless cause, but there will probably be much bitterness of feeling displayed next -session, and at the hustings later in the year.