LIBERALISM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 53, 26 November 1919, Page 3

LIBERALISM

ITS ASPIRATIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS. (Published by Arrangement.) (No. 3.) Second • Phase—Seddon. Mr. Ballancj died just ns he had got good hold of the great work offered him. Mr. Seddon succeeded him, aiid carried the work on lor .thirteen years,. Thev were years of tremendous industry and persistent energy. Though the Prime Minister, who threw himself into the work with charactristic zeal, was a man of exceptionally robust constitution, the demands of tho work upon him ultimately shortened his life . Among tho great' Liberal measures of this period a foremost place belongs to Old Age Pensions. Of course, tho Conservatives of those days—lineal ancestors of the Mnsseyites— (for did not Mr. Mnssey himself at first oppose the Old Age Pensions Hill ?)—denounced tho whole project. It would sap independence and undermine selfrespect; it was a insulting offer of charily; it was a pauper's dole; it was an unprincipled bribe; and. of course, it must'mean in the long run ruin to the groaning taxpayer. Hut tho Liberal Government stood by its Bill, and at long last tho Government won. And 10-dny {hero is not a creature in the Dominion who docs not, niter five and twenty years, applaud the measure, many times' amended and improved. "Government by tho people, for the people," has been completely justified.

The Great Bank Crisis, In ISM the country was within easy distance of a great financial disaster. Tho Bank of New tfoaiand was in distr.'s-:. It \vs;j officially aniioii'ieed that the great institution was about to founder. It was piain that thousands would go down in the wreck. It was probable that the. disaster would involve the nation. The Liberal Government met the crisis with rare courage and wise promptitude. "With the permission of Parliament, asked and accorded at a moment's notice, it propped tho imperilled institution with fun credit of the State. Tho Bank, restored to financial stability, resumed its career with a success which to-day—a , quarter of a century after that dreadful night of ISM—is applauded in every country. Once .more did ''government for the people by the people" justify itself by the financial ability, the courage and tho political wisdom that tho Liberal statesmen displayed at the terrible crisis in the country's fortunes: Settlement and Lands, The Liberal Government having a." ranged for tho settlement of tho land?, turned its attention to helping settlement to , make good. During the. thirteen-year period of Mr. Seddon's Ministry it. produced a large crop of measures, all devised for the substantial encouragement of ihe great producing interests. Tinder these Acts many millions of public money have been spent, .and no one now doubts the wisdom of the expenditure which moreover has involved no bonus'of any kind. Here is.another proof, not only cf tho statesmanship of democratic Liberalism, but of .its capacity in practical affairs. And it must never be fargorten that' these experiments were, all now departures in which Liberal Domoer.-icv mo' • the initiative in spito of intense an:' l.iitt?r opposition, and mado its way triumphantly to its goal. First and foremost among the many benefits provided by Liberalism for tho farmers and workers engaged in our primary industries was the csNbMsnment of the Department of Agriculture. The meat industry, the wool industry, the dairy industry, the orchard industry, the poultry industry, the bee-keep-ing industry—all theso feel the benefit of the guidance and as-istance that tiny receive from the Department in every phase of their activities mid at every step of their productive life. Here, again, "government by the ncopio for the people" has justified itself, thanks to this' wise forethought and practical energy of Liberalism. - Mother and Child,

Another series of democratic measure.'; cle-vinod .and carried into effect by Mr. Seddon and his colleagues may be termed tho Maternity group. It is to the abiding honour- of the great leaders of Liberalism' in this country that they pointed tho way for the, rest of Ihp world towards some effective provision for the comfort, and safety and health of toiling and suffering mothers and stunted and weakly boys and gills. Once it had realised this duty tiio Liberal Government twenty-five years ago set its 1 and to the good work; and our .Stature lii.-nk contains many a measure that as pi oof of the philanthropic sympathy of Liberalism for suffering humanity will stand the test of time. Maternity hospiials, well-trained midwives Plunket nurse--— all with, a fine record of well-directed and successful work—these were among the achievements of Liberalism in its palmy days. Industrial Strife Allayed. - Now let us turn to another phase of constructive- statesmanship as interpreted by Liberalism—its attempt to redress industrial grievance.-, and as far as possible to remove, the opportunities for industrial strife. Tho Arbitration and Conciliation system was rirst set up under peculiarly difficult eircuniswnees. A vast Labour upheaval had brought all New Zealand to a standstill hriuro the general election which returnnd the Liberals to power. That upheaval had emphasised tho futility of the \niknis methods of dealing with industrial troubles. Tho Liberal Government 10.-t no time in devising its rwiiedy for this appalling and hopeless situation. When it. came to Parliament for ilw implication cf its remedy, however, it was im.l by v. «tor»i of lupuiltioii from every quarter. But in tho end it triumphed', and the new system snealii-, justified the faith of its founders. 11, is lolly to say that, the Arbitration Act has failed because it. did not entirely prevent or cure industrial unrest. But it eradicated sweating; it gave the nuns of tho' people shorter hours and higher wage:* and belter com!iiiuns of work; and it promoted the rrencral welfare by waking; for industrial peace. The Seamen's Share. Not ■ content with its guardian tare of workers in the factories and the fields. Liberalism soon turned its attention to tho duty of mitigating the hardships that befall "those who go down to the sea' in ships." The Act was not perfect: but the sailor to-day under New Zealand regulations is infinitely better oil than he was before Liberalism began its labours, and he has his political franchise secure. All this he owes to democratic Lilier.ilisiii. (To be continued.)