PARTY POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2259, 19 September 1914, Page 6

PARTY POLITICS

Foe some days past there has been an increasing feeling in political circles that tlic so-called party truce in Parliament had been strained to breaking point. It has been plain that the .a-.party has been seeking to place the Government at a disadvantage, more by suggestion than by direct attack, and it has been equally clear that Government mombers have grown sick and tired of the situation which has developed. It is to the credit of Me. Myees and one or two other members of the Opposition that they appear to' have fully observed the spirit as well as the letter of the truce agreed on; but with the easing df the situation in Europe less scrupulous members of that party have resorted to unedifying underhand attempts to make party capital against the Government, whilst unctuously proclaiming their own virtue for abstaining from doing so As one member declared last night, the so-called party truce is now the veriest humbug, and there is not a member of Parliament who does not know that this is the case. Last night's exhibition in the House of llepresentatives is nothing more than an open demonstration of what has been going on beneath the surface for some days past. At every possible opportunity Ministers are attacked, and childlishly transparent attempts made to thrust the Leader of the Opposition into the limelight —all of course without any desire to make partycapital. If, on the other hand a Minister or a Government member makes any reference to a public matter which may show the Government in a favourable light then there is an outcry from the Opposition benches that "party" is being introduce'd. An excellent illustration of this is afforded by what has .happened in connection with the question of Government advertising. The suggestion was made from an Opposition quarter that the Government had been distributing Government advertising unfairly—favouring papers which support the Governmentand r,e:i«!ismg those which oppose it. The charge, of course was not made to score a "party" advantage; oh,-dear, no; but when the Minister produces the official figures and shows that the charge is utterly unfounded, there is immediately the outcry from the Opposition which will be found recorded in our columns this morning. The situation is qui.te intolerable. It is far preferable that there should be open warfare than the form of secret assassination which is the outcome of the socalled truce. The Pppositionjplainly is -detecrninod to injure ".he- Government if it can, and the Government will be extremely foolish if it continues to submit without retaliationto the • treatment that has of late been accorded it. The reason for the sudden change of front of the Opposition is to be found in the result of the general elections in Australia Until they were held the Wardist Party was in a state of the deepest ploom, and wanted tho New Zealand elections postponed, feeling that the Beform Government, already overpoweringly- strong in the country, would by its successful handling of the war situation stand still higher in public esteem. AVhen the particulars of the Australian polling came to hand, however, and it was found that the keen interest of the public in tho war had distracted attention from the elections and led to a small poll, the Opposition appear to have jumped to the conclusion that a similar state of things might prevail in Now Zealand if tho elections were held. Three weeks ago tho elections at tho usual time was the last thing they wanted To-dny they are building all their hopes on the elections taking place his .year—it is their forlorn hope. If tlfey are sincere in their professed readiness to sacrifice party interests, lot them come forward with a propositi that the elections shall bo postponed until tho war is over, or, in the alternative, if the elections are held, that no candidates shall bo run against sittina , members.