WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1920, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

PARTIES AND POLITICS. « . SIR JAMES CARROLL’S VIEW. (Our Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, Oct. 6. Sir James Carroll, who stood sponsor 1 for Mr Lysnar during the Bay of Plenty by-election, accepts the defeat of the Independent, Liberal candidate as philosophically as he did his own defeat in the adjoining constituency last December, “It was a good contest, ’ he says, “carried out in a sporting spirit on both sides. The polling was disappointingly small, but the roads all over the district were atrociously bad, and with no real party issue at stake it is easier than it usually is to make excuses for the people who did not record their votes.” Sir James does not think a full poll would have made any material difference in the result. The Bay of Plenty seat, lie explains, was held by Mr Macdonald rather than by the Liberal Party, and when Mr Macdonald passed away the inclination of a majority of the electors was towards the “top dog” in politics. APPALLING APATHY. “This may not be very admirable,” Sir James said by way of comment upon the “top dog” tendency, “but it is very natural. Our present system of administration leaves the gift of all goo things in the hands of the Government of the day and the vast majority of the electors imagine Governments habitually look with more favour m this respect upon their political 'friends than they do upon their political opponents. This is unjust to the average Minister of any colour so far as it implies that he purchases and rewards support by bribes from the public purse or by improper concessions. Such things are not Le in thesp “« r 'IT been done within my recollection. T peril to our public, life is not the co ruption of Parliament, but the appalling apathy of the people. THE EVOLUTIONARY process. Sir James smiles at the sugges ion that the Liberal. Party is “down and out” “What matter,” he asks, so , long as Liberal principles and Libera! ideate persist?” He | the time when the comparatively mild Liberalism preached 'by Mr John Balance was being denounced by Mr Massey and his friends as red revolution/ and the Liberal Premier and his six colleagues stigmatised as the “Seven Devils of Socialism” ; but year by 5 ear ie has seen the Conservatives of ™ ese days, now figuring under another title, appropriating more and more of the red revolutionary policy, till now they have absorbed pretty well the whole lot and are looking anxiously around for more. The supply must come from | the progressive elements in the House and by and by the progressive elements , will get together again! and see the ad-. vantage of administering their own policy for themselves. . THE LEADERSHIP. Meanwhile Sir James congratulates • Mr Wilford upon his promotion to the ! leadership of the Liberal Party. He not only hopes lint lie also believes the . member for Hutt will fill the position . with credit to himself and with advantage to the party and the countrj. Ho j has youth on his side, as youth is count- ( ed among politicians, the veteran points out many years of accumulated experience, a generous education, and the , fighting qualities of his (1-ace. But F .Tatnos looks for no strenuous fighting during the life of the present Pnrliament. Mr Massey is the man in possession, and it would he quite futile to attempt to oust him, except in the improbable event of his being guilty of | some flaming indiscretion. The policy j of the Liberal Party should be to make 1 the welfare of the whole community its first concern, and to give its cordial support to every reasonable measure introduced by the Government towards that end. I