THE WAR AND PARTY POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2474, 29 May 1915, Page 4

THE WAR AND PARTY POLITICS

The professions of the Opposition Party respecting their desire to avoid politioa.l conflict and to minimise party divisions during the war contrast strangely with their actions. As soon as it became known that there was to be another contest for the Bay of Islands seat, Sin Joseph Ward rushed off to the far North in a wild endeavour to stir up party strife and secure the return of his party nominee. It would have been more in keeping with the fitness of things at the present time had he loft the opposing candidates to fight the issue out amongst themselves. Sin Joskph Ward's interference was bad enough, but in addition no fewer than five other Opposition members of Parliament have journeyed from various parts of the Dominion to add their share to the. bitterness of the party conflict. It is a fair sample of the littleness and narrowness of outlook of the party leaders of the Opposition that even when their country is lighting for its status a-s a nation, when its soldiers are laying down their lives in the greatest struggle in history, they can push these momentous issues into the background iu order to strive to bring further confusion into o\ir politics for saltish party ends. It may have been necessary for Mr. HlinrwN or some member n( the GewnmoiH t.n reply in iV oartv it tacks of Sm Josjuph Wa&B..

but wc trust that the Prime Minister will discourage any attempts to induce him to follow the deplorable examplo of his opponents. Silt Joseph Ward was taught a sharp lesson when ho interfered at the Dunedin Central by-election. Ho certainly deserves another at t.ho Bay of Islands.