The Guardian AND EVENING STAR. TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1923. AFTER. TAURANGA.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1923, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR. TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1923. AFTER. TAURANGA.

A North Island paper oil the eve of the recent, by-election strongly advocated the return of Sir Joseph Ward so that the House would possess a capable financier, and concluded with tho following sentence: “Tauranga has a national duty to perform- not ;t parochial otto.” Tauranga, however, elected to ho parochial, and New Zealand polities are the poorer to-day, because Sir Joseph Ward has not a seat in Parliament. Hut now that the contest is over the Government has to face a position, still of difficulty. During the contest while Sir Joseph Ward was extended, he let- in a flood of light on the financial policy of the country, and Ministers were seeking to reply as adequately as they could. Incidentally, they had to make many promises to serve the time, hut the promises must needs be kept if Ministers are to keep faith with Tauranga and the Dominion. New Zealand is faced with large problems of a financial character in particular, which require the exercise of statesmanship for their solution. Mr Massey will find that it is one thing to broadcast promises, another to fulfill those promises. But he recalls, no doubt, that on previous occasions he was prolific in platform promises, and has not been in a hurry to redeem the pledges. It was probably in that frame of mind that he was over lavish, if not reckless, in his promises in the Tauranga campaign. The political situation is a different one to-day compared with the previous occasions when Mr Massey could afford if not to ignore, at least- to indefinitely postpone, promises of yore. With a depleted majority and being sustained alone hy the support cf some meniliers of Parliament w ho were elected to oppose tlie Government, Mr Massey must move more circumspectly. He cannot'afford in the immediate future to flaunt the people, and he will be expected to live up to his promises. To that extent Tauranga has paved the wav not. only for some relief in taxation, but also for .some advanced legislation. Apropos of the taxation, question, a tnWe published in the

■ Thought for the Times to-day shows that the avoi age rate of taxation for the past seven years, as let ween Australia and New /Calami is greatly in • a "or of tlio ioiin.r- hy 253, in round figures. Mr Mas«ey has said lie is going to take ‘‘the risk” of reducing direct taxation in New Zealand hy sotnu £2,000,000. That v, ill he s .inJthing to lor.k forward to, hut it is to ho hoped -Mr .Massey will not joggle with the figures in siteli i( way that the promised relief will be more apparent than real. The Government, while no doubt taking a good deal of comfort immediately from the Tauranga election, must feel that the event has placed tile Ministry more than ever on its trial iir regard to the matter of sound administration, riio.e Reform papers which were urging the return of Sir Joseph Ward wee very outspoken in their criticism of the shot tannings of Mr .Massey as a financier, and the need fer a man of proved ability such as Sir .Joseph, to he in Parliament to offer ready criticism and guidance on financial prold oms. While the Government is detective in regard to sound financial kmni ledge, there will lie. inherently, a weakness in the administration, atnl with the state i I parties as they are m w, Mr Massey cannot go on muddling all the time. Tile period which follows Tauranga Mill le, therefore, the testing time for the Government. The Prime .Minister will he expected t> meet Parliament in June next with a policy of definite progress combined with sound administration. Tin* tenure of the Treasury benches is governed by the ability of the Government to satisfy the Liberal “cave” which constitutes the present meagre majority keeping Reform in power. At last Ipd'orm will have to live up to v.hat i*s name implies, and set about political relorms lor the masses and not for ths classes,’ for the many and net for the few. After Tauranga has come the testing time.