Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, MARCH 12th, 1920. A NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, MARCH 12th, 1920. A NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION.

There is now no talk among representative politicians of the necessity for’ banishing from national politics, the handicap of the party spirit. 1 Political circumstances, comments the Dunedin Star, have altered political views. When The Devil was sick, the Devil a. monk would be; The Devil was well, the devil a monk was he.

Yet the need for a real National Administration is greater to-day than it was prior to the General Election, the surprising results of which hardened the hearts of the political Pharaohs. It cannot he challenged that the need for a real national spirit and for genuine national unity in administrative and parliamentary activities increases with the rapid and extensive increase in the Dominion's economic and industrial problems. All classes—save those who are joy-riding on the high road of untrammelled profiteering—-arp restive and in dangerous mood; the Cost of Living soars like a fugitive balloon; and national ideals are sluggish. The majority of the people live each day for tins greatest possible profit and pleasure from the least possible effort, and •with but little heed for the morrow. The thoughtful minority are silent lest they be numbered with the gloomy children of the Dark Star, An artisan with a sardonic humor neatly summed lip, the spirit of file (times the other day when questioned as to the possible performance of a small contract. “Yes," he said, “but the overtime rate will be double, and it will take dopble the time." Everybody’s doing It, and everybody’s doubling it. What is the L‘i;d lp be? It is now certain that unless extraordinary circumstances arise the new Parliament will not now be summoned for business till Jiipe. Tlie necessity for an early session of Parliament to overcome arrears in important legislative work immediately disappeared with the triumph of the fujing party and the ruthless decimation of fhojr rival' parties. To the party with an excess of voting power everything now is as right as right can be.; but that,, after all, is the J)pmj bogging process of the political party l mind. lAdveristy encourages statesmanship, while party prosperity revives the old stodgy ways of the politician. Can Now Zealand expect no adequate settlement of many difficulties under a strong party (Administration? The deliberate testimony of prominent members of the Deform Administration is the only answer. The best results cannot be anticipated. The Prime Minister at Cromwell, and ttgai/i at Temuka., during the election campaign vigorously denounced the party system, deplored ijtjs revival, and earnestly advocated a national spirit in active politics. “With such work fo bp done/'’ Mr Massey said at Temuka, “he would have liked to have seen the j best men in the country united in .the ! best interests of the country." Then at Cromwell he made it clear that there was no intention of reverting -to the old party system. “It might mean/’ he added guardedly, “that an experiment would be mude when the new House met. At any rate he hoped they woiuld always put the interests of the country before the interests of the party.’’ Sir James Allen, who was then fighting hard to retain the Bruce seat, and naturally was less optimistic about the prospects of his party than Mr Massey was in happier electioneering circumstances, was more definite as to the urgent need for a National Ad. i ministration. “We had now the ter- ; rible consequences of the war to face

I and ho believed it would require a t stronger Government properly to see I the country through the next few years than it had. during the war time.” If i tli© war time National Government, as ' a patriotic combination of all the talents in the two main parties, failed lamentably to deal successfully with internal problems, ifi i,t reasonable to expect administrative success from a Government drawn on the old line;? of selection from the dominant political party, containing many members who have no pratical knowledge or experience of parliamentary affairs? The time is ripe for the introduction and willing adoption of a new spirit in

respect to Cabinet construction. ‘‘The best men in the country” (to use Mr Massey’s phrase) isliould be “united in the best interests of the country.” That was the Prime Minister's sincere wish in December last. He is now in the happy position of having the unique opportunity to give practical effect to bis desires. We have seen how serious the play of the old party spirit has been in the United States. A great nation that entered the war in tho spirit of true crusaders and with

noble ideals is shirking the task of sharing in world reconstruction after the victory has been won. Serious responsibilities of tile State cannot be discharged to perfection under political party administration. New Zealand needs in her legislative reforms and activities the best work of the 'best men inside and outside Parliament. Will the Reform Party rise to the occasion and form a real National Administration ?