The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1914. MR. HERDMAN AND THE FUSTY TORIES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2314, 23 November 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1914. MR. HERDMAN AND THE FUSTY TORIES

There is a refreshing outspokenness about tho election speeches of the member for Wellington North which often disarms even those who disagree with his views. He so plainly says what he believes ■ and means what ho says, that it is a pleasant change from the balancing, anxious-to-please-at-any-price class of candidate so familiar to all of us at election, times. ' So it was that in his speech on Friday evening ,last, though many of his _ audience no doubt disagreed with him on one or two of the questions touched on, it is probable that ho gained a great deal more from his candid declaration; of his opinions than he lost by declining to bid for votes by qualifying or watering them down. The speech was an-able and forceful one, calculated to inspire confidence and to win support tor tho Government of which Mr. Herdman is a member. Those of the' public who view our politics dispassionately cannot fail to recognise that it is a good thing for any country to have at its disposal the services of men who do not make office their 'first consideration—men who prefer principle to profit, and who would sooner sacrifice their prospects of personal advancement than violate their conscientious convictions. It is because Mr. Herdman is recognised to be a, man of this stamp that even'those, who disagree with his political vicws_ respect his honesty of purpose, admire his courage, and admit his steadfastness to principle. The review of the Massey Govcrriment's term of office as sketched by the Attorney-General traversed most of the principal happenings of a very strenuous period in a manner that should commend itself to the public. The record of work done was clea.rly and forcefully stated, and the doctors, whose memories are proverbially short, will no doubt profit by the reminder given them of tho very striking list of achievements for which tho Reform Party can claim credit. Tho Government has suffered to some extent from tho fact that so much of its legislation has been passed 'during a periqcT when public attention has been largely concentrated on events outside the walls of and it is all the more necessary, therefore, that Ministers and members of tho party should take full advantage of the present opportunity to place the particulars before the electors. But it was not merely in his admirable review'of his party's record that Mr. <Herdaian scored on Friday evening. He carried the war into the enemy's camp with such vigour and effect that they, will find themselves very hard pressed to find replies to his trenchant criticism. "A band of stagnant reactionaries" was one terse summing up of the Opposiand ho followed this up by dubbing them "Fusty, musty Tories, and a "party of inaction 'reaction, and distraction." Had tnese labels been nothing more than catchy denunciations designed to tickle the ears for the moment they might have made little lasting impression; but Mr. Heiidman was able to show that they fitted very exactly the Wardist Party, and they therefore remain a definite charge to bo answered. No one who has given any close attention to tho actions of the Opposition in recent years can fail to have been struck with the fact that it is a party lacking in inspiration and over-given to petty fault-finding. There is nothing big or stirring about it. Its one purpose since it has been in Opposition has been to endeavour to prevent the Government giving effect to the progressive reforms which it had pledged itself to accomplish. It wished in effect to keep things at a standstill—to bring about a condition of stagnation. If anyone doubts this, let them cast their minds back to the happenings of tho past three sessions. There was the opposition shown to that great measure of Reform, the relieving of tho Public Sorvico from the vicious evil of political patronage and the placing of all membors of tho Service on terms of equality in the matter of opportunity for advancement. No political tout or friend of a politician can now gain an unfair advantage over tho man who has nothing more to commend him than ability and faithful service. Tho AVardists opposed this because thoy arc "fusty, musty Tories," as Mr. Herdman put it, anxious to retain tho old unwhole-, sofno state of things, regardless of the interests of tho country or of the Public Service itself. Another instance was in the matter of Reform of • the Legislative Council. Hero again the Massey Government, pressing forward with its endeavour to remove the curse of political patronage and pivo to tho u.eoplo the righij,.

to elect their own representatives in the Upper House, was faced with tho most determined opposition by tho Tories of the Wardist Party—the party of stagnation. They .wished to retain tho old power of short-term nomination, so that in the event of their return to office they could again stuff the Legislative Council, with their nominees, culled from the'ranks of their touts and heelers, oftentimes regardless of all considerations of fitness. Yot, again .when the Massey Government sought to do away with tho costly and degrading system of political bribery of electorates by the distribution of votes of public money for roads and bridges, the Tories of the Wardist Party declared their adherence to the old evil system. These are indisputable facts, and they fully justify tho labels with which the Attorney-General on Friday evening branded tho Wardist Party. But if further ovidonce were needed, it is to be found in abundance in tho records of Parliament, not the least significant of these being the deliberate attempts'to obstruct the progress of business by means of systematic stonewalls. _ It may be said that while the instances quoted afford proof of Toryism, stagnation, and inaction, they hardly cover the charges of reaction and distraction, If any evidence of tho reactionary ideas of tho Wardists is wanted it is to be found in the fact that they proposo, if returned to office, to endeavour to bring the Civil Sorvico once more within reach of Ministerial influence. As to "distraction" what party professing moderate views,, unless wholly distracted, would indulge in the colossal' folly of sacrificing its principles and its professions and allying itself ;to a band of extremists such as tho Social Democratic Party, the political branch of the Red Federation 1 Me. Herdman's labels, it will be seen, fit the Wardists so well that they will stick, and tho party will ere long be more widely known for what it ■really is, and not for what it professes, to bo.