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Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1922, Page 2

Tiik shipping strike appears in one respect to have happened at an opportune time—for it brings to mind on the eve of polling day what might '•oine to pass if Extreme Labor were foisted into power next month. Lalmr as represented by the Extreme party will be a very hard taskmaster. It will be a class taskmaster, which has no thought other than for those who are prepared to link their fortuii's with the irreconcilable* who will iceognise no law but their own sweet will. If the law of the arbitration ■curt does not suit them—as in the nresent ease—they "ill ignore it. and the community and public interests can ro by the board. Siieli is the form of government we may expect from extreme Labor, and public servants who ire anxious to join such a band and ail at those who are opposed to ti e uihlie service being implicated willy lillv, in every dispute which might iriso. in most instances as suddenly as his lias done. Public opinion will no doubt harden against the militant Labor party which to be effective along ts line of policy, must be always aggressive. The people as a whole will lot tolerate this, and it is perhaps as veil that there should be a pointed reminder ns to the inevitable course of ’rents if Labor should be placed in oowor. The less power such a party has the better for the people and wellordered government of any country, and the electors of Mew Zealand should note tile facts of the ease and see where such irresponsible control would land the country if place and power is goven to the adherents of such a party.As a contemporary points put the men who are qovv seeking to paralyse {ho

maritime communications of the Dominion belong to that section of organised Labour which controls the Labour Party. It is not the moderately reasonable and pacific unionist whom the Labour leaders aim to please. Their trust is in the militant wing of unionism. It is to a perception of this fact that the Labour Party c»n ascribe the deep distrust with which all moderate and reasonable people regard it. Just now the Labour politicians are busy proclaiming their sanity and mildness. Nobody, you would imagine if you believed them, could lie more law abiding and temperate, more fair, or more in love with orderly and constitutional ways. If their nicely-modu-lated tunes have deceived anybody, these credulous ones will have their eyes opened by the shipping strike. A shipping strike at the present time, when honest work and peaceful 00-ope-rntion between all sections of the community are necessary in order to complete the recovery of the Dominion from the depression which is passing (i way, is ns nnti-.socinl an act as could he imagined. It must cause much unemployment. great loss to many small cultivators. and hardship to the general community, which will find supplies short and prices lising if the strike lasts for more than a few days.

“The road to ruin” which New Zealand has been travelling under the Reform Government, to which attention was called by the Taxation Commission, has been contributed to largely no doubt by the calibre of the Ministers surrounding the Premier. Mr Massey’s Government has been a “one man Ministry,” a fact which was noticeable on various occasions. 'When Mr Mossev had to go Home on State business, not one of bis elected colleagues was deemed competent to take charge of the Ministry, and so an appointee to the Upper House was made acting Prime Minister. Parliament had to be delayed at the opening because there was no Minister considered capable of leading the House in Mr Massey’s absence, the five minutes’ deputy leader appointed while the Go-vernor-General’s speech was read had to have a 11011-Minister at his right hand to keep him posted ns to the forms of the House! There are stories current about the inability of certain Ministers even to introduce hills affecting their departments. 111 view of these disclosures point is given to the thought expressed for the times today, and some idea can he formed wily waste, extravagance and neglect in some quarters has been so serious—not to say scandalous—and the country hn9 suffered mid is suffering accordingly. It is understood that in the forthcoming contests different Ministers will he on very critical trial when submitting themselves to the electors.