The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DECEMBER 22, 1903.

Gisborne Times, Volume XII, Issue 1079, 22 December 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DECEMBER 22, 1903.

FEDERAL ELECTIONS. Although the returns for the Federal election are not even yet complete, one important fact stands out, that the Labor party has made sueli headway as to be able to practically mould the future policy of the Commonwealth. The Ministry got rid of the great 'democrat Mr Kingston, and the incident has evidently been turned to strong account at the elections. The future developments will now he anticipated with a great deal of interest. The talk of a coalition of Oppositionists and Ministerialists against the Labor party has a comical phase when it is remembered that according to many of the electioneering speches neither side was good enough to keep company with the other. In the past the Ministry was actually kept in power bj the Labor party, and the probabilities are that in future there will he a bond of sympathy he (ween the two parties. When the Labor party gained ascendancy in New Zealand, they had quite a different field to work on. The colony was ripe for the changed circumstances, and had such strong resources as would ena great deal of experimenting to be done without permanent injury to the State. There was a compact system, with a man at the head, who, however he maybe criticised, is admittedly a master organiser—oui present Premier. With Austrait is all quite different. There is a Federal system which has not yet been knocked into proper shape, and ;n confusion therewith is the number of petty States which ought to have Keen reduced or. wholly suppressed on the birth of .the Commonwealth, and there is overpowering State ieaiousy The humiliating fight over the Federal capital, and the position taken up by the cantankerous New South Wales Government, is an evidence of ihe 'difficulty experienced in the matter of wise government. Australia has national questions cf great moment to face, and it has internal questions of a vexatious class 1 to deai with. But there is.no doubt '• that a great deal of good can be done I by the Labor party if it sets out on < intelligent and moderate lines, seek- i

ing for practical results, and not becoming a victim to what is known as “ swelled head.” A first step might well he to cheek the borrowing policy that has prevailed with all Governments, largely aided by -workers desirous of having public money spent and having no concern for the day of reckoning- Great- estates are being allowed to remain in idleness, because no party has had the courage to insist on absentee .landholders doing their duty in the way of development of the land or in paying a fair proportion o’" taxation. Ii may he said that these are not Federal questions, but the only hope of their ever he ng seriously tackled seems, to lie with the Federal Government, not with the squabbling State Parliaments. The Labor party can do Australia a great service, or in a very short time it may work much mischief. For the sake of Australia, we hope that the party's efforts will he directed for the good of the young nation.