SIR JOSEPH WARD'S POLICY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 282, 25 August 1919, Page 4

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S POLICY

CRITICISM BY A CANDIDATE. Some hard things about the withdrawal of Sir Joseph Ward from the rncnt, and tho statement accompanying it, were said by ■ Mr, IV. B. Matheson, a candidate for the Masterton eeatyspeaking at Eketahuua last week. Mr. Matheson said: After being present ar. an interview in Wellington Cost week, when six Cabinet Ministers were present, 1 was satisfied "the stew was so hot tho pot would soon' boil over." Sir Joseph Ward'); action ana policy, as announced a few hours ago, suggests a return to the professional politicians' game of the ins and outs. From that point of view Sir Joseph Ward has shown his old ostuteni?ss. ■ His shop window 6how is attractive, but a good deal of it should need no showing, and will be insisted on whoever holds the reins. For a statesman to otter "tlio preservation of law and order" as a new policy is startling. His policies with regard to schooCs, teachers, Native lands, soldiers, lands, and profiteering are such as he should be able to point back at as accomplished. Hi? statement that (since winning the war) Cabinet had "naturally no real, cohesion on any fixed principle" is an acknowledgment that they have been humbugging us. That men of their experience might well difier in detail is obvious, but to tell us that on no fundamental. questions (bar the war) were they rejidy to stick together makes me thankful the pot has boiled over, and I hope wc shall be able to skim off the scum as it. floats to tho top. I have a great respect for Sir Joseph Ward's cleverness and industry, but his confessed natural inability to fiud any fixed principles ho was able io stick to in the National Government holds out, no inducement to ma to tie myself to his party.'