The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1914. THE ISSUES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2328, 9 December 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1914. THE ISSUES

Never perhaps in the history of this country have the issues at a Parliamentary General Election been clearer than they are on the present occasion. The issues are: Safety and Sound Progress versus Risk and Reckless Experiments. That is a broad generalisation, which covers very well the situation as it stands to-day. What electors will.have to ask themselves is: (I) Has the' present Government failed to oonduct the affairs of the country in a satisfactory manner? (2) If it has not so failed, why should we make any change? (3) If it has failed, would the Opposition composed of Wardists and Labour Socialists do any better? In seeking an answer to the first question the electors should 'find good reasons for deciding against any ohange taking place at the present time. The fact cannot be ignored that whatever faults have been found with the Reform Government .by its opponents they have been invariable of a trivial nature. Slanders have been invented and exposed: misrepresentations have been manufactured and corrected; minor incidents have been distorted and exaggerated and ignored, but no really effective attack has been made on either the Government's policy or its administration. On tne other hand, the Government has, been able to point to a solid record of achievement which no one can dispute,' and which stands virtually unchallenged. But the position is even more favourable to the Government ; than they would indicate, for the pubjic know that what has been done was accom-plished-in the face of unprecedented difficulties and_ during a period of unparalleled orises. It is not necessary now to remind the people of the Dominion of how ; the Reform Government dealt with the Waihi strike, the smallpox outbreak, and* the big striko of 1913, nor how, splendidly they have met and overcome all the emergencies arising put of the present great war. Everyone now is familiar with these things. The remarkable feature is that any" Government should havo been able to carry through so many reforms, and press forward so vigorously with matters of domestic concern ' whilo carrying such heavy responsibilities due to the disturbed conditions. The record of the Reform Government canpot fail to impress every- fairminded person and must win the respect of every honest opponent. What the electors are asked to do by the opponents of Reform is to throw out this Government, for what ? For a party composed of tl;e remnants of the old Liberal Party and Labour-Sooialists and extremists' of a reckless and dangerous type. It has been proved beyond all question that Sir Joseph Ward is a weak and incapable political leader. Even when backed by largo majorities ho/proved himself to bo weak and vacillating, and he rapidly ran the party to_ disaster. _ This is not a mere partisan assertion: tho facts arc beyond dispute. Even his own have. admitted it. Wh?*' could this country look for from' ft Govnnjniflnt. bw.ctad by 8m Joseph ,WAfiD and holding office at 1

the pleasure of the Labour-Socialist extremists with whom his party is working to put tho Reform Government out of office? The electors know very well that the affairs of the country require the most careful handling at the present critical time; that nothing but sound and careful administration can stave off financial and trade depression with the accompanying evils of unemployment, hardship, and suffering. The Reform Government has succeeded in maintaining almost normal conditions during "this great' national crisis: it has proved that it is to be trusted; is it not better for everyone that it should be permitted to continue to carry on tho work it is so satisfactorily doing rather than to take the risk of a change which threatens to place tho -affairs 'of the country in the hands of a weak and reckless combination united only in a common hatred of Reform 1