The Hokitika Guardian TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24th, 1922. DOWN TO FUNDAMENTALS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 October 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24th, 1922. DOWN TO FUNDAMENTALS.

Thk writer of our Wellington letter this week lets in a ray of light on the probable Liberal platform for the coming general election which is at once interesting and arresting. It is interesting because there has been the demand for tile pronouncements and It is arresting because of the sanity of the cardinal features of the policy. The four chief planks are worth noting, because they go to the root ot good and sound government What this Dominion is hankering lor it it really recognises its political needs. The four planks arc (1) electoral reform; (2) land settlement; (3) sound financo; (4) stimulating production. They art- well placed as to order and necessity. Electoral reform is highly essential if the Parliament is to be a true reflex ot the people as a whole and not of a mere party or section. Electoral reform such as the Liberals will put in tho forefront of their political programme will refer to proportional representation, under which system the fate of the single party system as hitherlo prevails, will Lo sealed. Tn the present British political crisis, Mr

Lloyd George has said that he does not favor narrow groups, tint believes in large parties ns affording greater stability of government. A Parliament elected under proportional representation would tend at once to that degree of security, and there is full justification for seeking tho most representative form of Parliament preferential voting can give. Then as to land settlement. we have in tlint plank the very sound base upon which the fortunes of the former Liberal regime built- up. Laud settlement under the Liberal stalwarts added greatly to the material prosperity of New Zealand and further expanded along reasonable and progressive lines, can supply renewed prosperity to the country. As to the third plank, all will agree to the necessity for sound finance. T finance of the country is in a desperate way, and there is a very ticklish year coming, when about ton million in loans fall due. and a larger sum still over each of the three following years. It is an unfortunate affair that nothing definite in regard t i finance is forthcoming from the Government. There is no settled policy, except taxation and heaped ’up expenditure. There must lie a definite plan devised or the weathering of the stringent times ahead will become impossible. And the fourth plank is to stimulate production, and so add to the inflow oi wealth to pay for the exported products. The recovery of the trade balance with a handsome surplus to credit is highly necessary. In former times the Liberal policy achieved great things in expanding trade. The party has the initiative in that direction. proved over and over again, and if given the chance after the coming polling, the Liberals may be counted on to achieve further honour and credit for New Zealand which owes so much to benign Liberal legislation in tlie past.