The Hokitika Guardian WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19th, 1922 N.S.W. POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19th, 1922 N.S.W. POLITICS.

New South Walks politics have been very much perturbed over a long term. The parties up to the recent election have been see-sawing as regards majorities, but the latest poll gave the anti-Labourites a more stable advantage. The Fuller Government lias replaced the Storev-Dooley Government, the latter being representative or the Labour party which dominated the Mother State by a bare majority for a considerable time. The Government was alleged to lie extravagant, and the mala.’minisiration generally was roundly condemned in the press The upshot li s been the decisive defeat of the Labor party In December last Sydney ousted the Municipal Labor party which had charge of the capital for a lengthy period. With the State Labor party defeated the rout is complete. The situation is not without its lesson to tbe onlooking States. Even this Dominion may look across the Tasman Sea, and take a. lesson from the course of political events in New South Wales. There in both municipal and State administration Labour has failed signally, piling up the debts of the municipality and the State and leaving taxation high and industrial discontent more general. Labor has not cured the political ills of th country, and having been tried in the balance and found wanting, has been discarded. The reign of Labor in v '

Australia has had a disastrous effcgt rll round. Whenever the opportunity ottered, class legislation was brought forward involving and entangling the country in excessive expenditure. Industry was legislated for with both eye? for the employee only. The shortening of hours, the lessening of production and increasing the burden of taxation, had direct effect on employment. Vs n result of the uneconomic measures of the Labor party unemployment has grown throughout the land, and there is much discontent Tn consequence. The new Government will have a difficult task to clear up llic results of the class legislation. Reading between the lines of the newspaper criticism of the new Ministry, it does not appear to be specially strong in its personnel, while there is the complaint that the Ministry is unduly large and should he less in number. This seems to he something of a false start which will strain the loyalty of the Progressives voting with the Government, hut who are seeking for economies to reduce taxation. Ti e new Premier will have to justify his choice ill numbers and personnel, or he may find his position insecure. It is alleged that polities in New South Wales have had such a bent of late years, that the best statesmen wi l not come forward. Tile high mforal standard which is hoped for in the peoples’ representatives, it is said had been lacking of late, and to this has been attributed the . eterioratjon of the personnel not only of the State but also the Federal Parham ids. If this charge be true there is ..ope for New South Wales polities, for ‘‘the best men'’ as such will realise the drift their absence is creating, and they will come to tin* rescue of their country in due cciirse. ;,s all ti' e < it : ;v us should.