The Hokitika Guardian MONDAY, DEC. 4th., 1922. REFORM’S REST ASSET.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian MONDAY, DEC. 4th., 1922. REFORM’S REST ASSET.

I Mit H. E. llom.ANn’s boast of what ho 1 is "oins to do with the Literal Party 1 in “the new House of Representatives , would lie amusing were it not so piti- , able. Going to use the party to vote the Reformers out of office, and then i lie is going to use it to coerce the Liberals into giving effect to the Labour programme! What he will do, if the 'Liberals refuse to oust the Reformers with his assistance, or having ousted them without his assistance they refuse to obey his behests, he has not troubled to explain. Probably it has not occurred to him that there are conceptions of political morality somewhat higher than his own ,and that both the Literals and the Reformers may decline to join in his pretty little game. It would he well to liavo a clear understanding on this matter before the polling on Thursday. We take it that unless the Liberals have a elear , majority ov*r th» Reformers In the ’

new House, they will not think < f launching an attack upon the 1 reasuiy benches, but occasion may arise on which the Government will stake its existence on the passage of a certain piece of legislature which both the Liberals and the Labourites are pledged to oppose. In that case, it would he ridiculous for the Liberals to stultify themselves bv refusing to vote with the Labourites. Their first duty would be to the electors who had givt’lt them their confidence. If the Government were defeated, however, the Liberal leader would decline to attempt the formation of a Ministry while dependent oil tile goodwill of Mr Holland, and his friends. Then the next move would rest with Mr Massey. It would be in no wav derogatory to the dignity of the Liberals to keep the Reformers in office and their measures off the statute hook. There are high precedents for this sort of tiling with which readers of political history are familiar. The final outcome might be another appeal to the electors, hut in no circumstances would the Liberals he justified in taking office unless they were entirely free from such Labour coercion as Mr Holland imagines he could apply. The plain truth is that every vote giveii to extreme Labour is a vote cast against legitimate and constitutional progress. The bread issue in the present general election is between Liberalism and Sane Labour in association an<l Conservatism posing as Reform. The legitimate aspirations of the workers cannot he reached along the lino Mr Holland and his allies are pursuing. Their policy lias not the essential virtues of integrity, candour and practicability and without these virtues, no policy can help towards the goal honest patriotic men and women desire. In this constituency, with Labor a factor of some importance, those who desire to see the position absolutely secure for the future should make it a point of continuing to ensure the return of such a proved and influential candidate as the Liberal standardhearer.