WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1917, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE MEMBER FOR HAWKE’S BAY. HIS PEACE IN POLITICS. - (Our Special Correspondent) Wellington, June 22 It is obvious enough now that' , the new member for Hawke’s Bay is not going to be dragged at the chariot wheels of the National Government. When he consented at the urgent request of the Liberal members of the Cabinet to contest the seat rendered vacant by the death of Dr McNab, it was naturally assumed by people who, did not , know him very well that a portfolio was among the inducements diAwmg him back to public life. . 'His intimate iriends were under no such delusion. They were well aware that he hankered after neither the substance nor the tinsel ol office and that his , laj' in quite another direction. ’ That he is determined to be free from the trammels of party he 1 made perfectly clear during his election campaign and that he in- , tends to play the) part of a candid friend to the National Government he made equally plain when addressing a .section, of lfis constituents the other dayj; 1 ASSERTION OF INDEPENDENCE. Whether or not Sir John Findlay would have been aipacceptable colleague to the Reform members of the Cabinet is a question it woukbbe idle to discuss in view of ' recent events. The interview which thc Attorney-General gave to the newspapers criticising Sir John’s action in impugning the War Regulations in his professional . capacity dissipated all possibility of their feelings on the subject being put to the test. It still would be interesting, however, to learn how some of the Liberal Ministers Avon Id regard his appearance on the Treasury benches. Presumably he was invited to second the motion for the Address-in-Reply in pursuance of the custom which prescribes .that newly > 'elected members shall Ibe pushed 1 into prominence on such occasions ; '■ but a curious public has not been permitted to know the nature of , his reply. THE DEMOCRATIC NOIE. The particular business which l • took the Hastings deputation to Sir : John is at the moment of less con- ; sequence than the emphatic reiter-ation-ofhis democratic principles. ! He is not generally supposed to be ; a rabid opponent of the “ trade ” . nor an ardent friend of the prolii--1 bitionists. What views lie has on 1 the liquor question, merely as_ a social problem, are his own, and e have not been paraded before the , public. ' 5 But arguing from the purely , democratic standpoint lie inain- ’ tains that the voice of the people " ought to prevail here as it ought to ' prevail everywhere else. Holding , this view he is perhaps a little il- . logical in whittling down the majority required to obtain no-license to 55 per cent and then saying the " process shall go no further. But other good Democrats are beginning to realise that without the stability obtained from a strong volume of public opinion no social reform can achieve . the best results. ' THE FUTURE. But whatever his disposition to- ) wards the parties and their leaders or towards any particular political question may be, there is not the ; slightest ground for the assumption , that Sir John is going to inaugurate a militant movement towards the ! National Government. On this ; point he has given an emphatic pledge.which he may be trusted to respect. But both by precept and example ■ he probably will inspire , the rank I and file of the House of Representatives with a little more cour- ; age and enterprise and independ- . ence than they have displayed since ' they offered tip their party differ- [ ences on the high altar ol national . patriotism. .Here he may do a very real and important service to the ■ State. The friends of both parties. | and the friends of no party at all are beginning to recognise that ■ without free and lvouest criticism 1 legislation and administration are - apt to deteriorate. It is from this [ peril Sir John may assist in saving l the country. ---