The Hokitika Guardian WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30th, 1022 STRAIGHT GOVERNMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30th, 1022 STRAIGHT GOVERNMENT.

There are many ways open to tnc government to bring about reduction . m taxation, but the politician will prefer compromises, subterfuges, and camouflage to straight and effective 'business, because at the base of every political move is the welfare of the party, and not the welfare of the people. Tire foregoing is the wail of a weekly newspaper which has pronounced itself always pro-Reform. Its brand of politics is evidently not of a very high class when it sums up its political leaders with such sweeping condemnation. Fortunately there is more than one party in politics and there is one in particular which has a higher ambition than the welfare of the parti itself—has in fact the welfare of the people at largo. That party is the Liberal party, the principles of which now and always havo been founded on “the greatest good for the greatest number.’’ Tliis is not an empty boast. The records of the party stand to it, when examined in the light of practice and performance. When the Liberals went into office at the time Mr Reliance took the helm, the Conservatives then (as now) had left .the finances in a tangled condition, and the credit of the country stood in jeopardy. Mr Ballanre initiated a policy of financial self-reliance, and in due course pulled through. "When death claimed Mr Rnllancc all too soon, he had a most worthy successor in Mr Seddon. and the sound, self-reliant policy was continued. The Liberals of those days built well. Not only in regard to finance, but to the domestic legislation of the country they paid special attention. The land legislation was a great factor in rejuvenating the country, in regard to placing land within the reach of the people, bursting up big estates, buying others, and giving the people cheap money. That was only one branch of the Liberal policy. It pursued a great humane policy, making the life and task of the worker easier by reasonable labor laws, and extending to the aged comfort and security for the evening of their days. In the effort to advance democracy, the franchise was extended. and the people trusted to the limit. Never before or since had such ameliorating legislation for the welfare of the people as a whole (not of any party, mark you) been brought into practice. It was a triumph for New Zealand its progress and prosperity under the Liberal regime, and this country became in many respects the leading legislative country of the world. All its good work was not accomplished without great opposition from the selfcentred. The Conservatives of those days, yclept Reformers to-day, opposed the Liberal legislation to the fullest extent. The Ballnnee-Seddon Ministry wns alleged to contain the “Seven Devils of Socialism.” The McKenzie land measures bursting tip the big estates, and the forward step in buying the Cheviot Estates, were fought at every stage. Mr Seddon had to fight for tho old age pension principle to the Inst ditch, holding the House in one of the longest and most strenuous stonewalls on record. Those tasks were not performed for benefit of party. All participated in the wisdom of the land policy ; all availed themselves of the cheap money schemes; of the cheap postage and telegrams; the cheap freights and what not : and the aged of every class and creed felt they had security for all time in the humanity of the old ago pension If our contemporary' and anyone else is seeking for straight government it will find it under a Liberal regime which has a notable record behind it to prove its bona tides. “The square deal for all” under th P Reform party has long been an exploded fallacy.