The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, APRIL 7th 1923. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, APRIL 7th 1923. THE WEEK.

Fob refreshing: candour commend us to Mussolini who takes the r-t.and of a candid dictator in his rule of Italy. His actions hitherto have savoured very much of the dictator, but his own expressed opinions in a press article, leave no doubt as to hj> opinion of his own mission in Italy. Democracy as favour,si by modern liberalism. he will have nothing of. Liberty enjoyed under a liberal regime does not. in his opinion, count for stable Government. The Premier does not tell us what will happen when .Mussolini is no more. Are there other strong men in Italy to take the place of dictatorship and steer the barque of State with the same assurance as Mussolini ? If not. a dictatorship, like liberalism has inherent weaknesses, and polities in Italy will be as shifty as heretofore. There was only one Cromwell in England. There may he only one Mussolini in Italy. Cromwell did useful work in his time, but the strength of the dictator is governed only by his military force—and that is the whole essence of law and order, and national self-preservation. Mussolini overlooks the fact that liberalism which promotes liberty adds to the enlightenment of the Pviopl,;, and the ruling powpi. is

with the people according as they may organise.

I’nrviir.n Mussolini fur tho time being has been able to organise effectively for the upholding of the Fascist ride, but that may he but a passing phase in the changing political atmosphere of Daly. The Fascists are certainly strong and unyielding for the time being. Hie European Governments in particular draw their staying power from the national support, and fur the time (as Mussolini has emphasised) the will of the people is to support the Fascist. The shiftiness of human nature which lie has referred to as the sands of the seashore, may with ihe next tale change the whole setting and the dictator may stand alone. Premier Mussolini must he admired for his outspokenness. He lias made his course plain am| his purpo.-c clear, lie will be admired-- and perhaps respectedfor his frankness. The Fascist rule liras abreviated the liberties of the people already, but- there is naturally a point beyond which any Government may m l go wisely. Mussolini may ho judge enough to understand the spirit and temperament of his people, and moving circumspectly direct his course in less troubled ways, hut he lias a very difficult proposition ahead of him, and the slightest over-reaching may alter the whole spirit of the dreams of Government.

r.Aisoii lies n,..-M i,, ( f nl'eieiii-e in X.-vv /calami as well as Great Britain. Labor is taking itself very seriously nowadays, and looking to its growing strength at the polls, this need Put be wondered at. Nor is it a circumstance in itself fi alarm. There is no reason why f.'ihor should ir-t lie heard m the councils of Parliament, for these are the times of democracy, when the slogan of the day is (despite what Premier Mussolini says) “trust the people”. Labor, like all parties, lias it- extreme sections, ami in all parties it is always the extremists which are mostly to the front. In (lie London Conference the delegates, fot instance, wrestled with the subject of Cabinet Government. Tile phase ventilated was as to the form of Government to supplant the present administration when Labor passed into power. It may be anticipating events to some extent, but optimum is preferable always to pessimism. One of the speakers regards '.be present form of Cabinet tLe ernmciH as “government tyranny-*. and fef.ieil that the form of elective executive suggested would produce a state of “parliamentary chaos.” Tie was probably right, though if lie had looked deeper he might have observed other firms of “tyranny” also necessary to avoid.

Kvrm:.\Ti,v tbe Labour member who discussed tho position regarded any form of Government rule which was not Libor as tyrannical, l’ut to rule we suppose "ill always suggest a I.rm of tyranny to those who arc not of tlm power in efliee. Thai- is, the minority will not regard with favor the methods of tho party with the majority in power. It was ever thus. The •■oitts” complained always alioiit the “ins" ; and human nature being what it is, when Labor takes up the reins of office, those outside the pale for the time being will resent the actions of the Government for the time Icing, fit true democratic rule, governments are made by the breath of the people and the will which creates can reverse its action. So although Labor may step into power, perhaps Inter than sooner, its tenure of office will be governed by circumstances which it cannot control in the end when the people elect to turn the Government out of oilhe. In Great Britain there has even been tho ebb and the tlow in the tide of Govornmnt. The Whips and the Tories came and went, as the Liberals and Conservatives have come since. Now we have the variations in Unionists, Nationalists, and Labourite'— all variations of the generic parties.

Pi t behind all the parties is the voice of the people whence is drawn fur the time being the power to rule. The fluctuation of the favor of the people is not a matter of chance. It results from the goad sense of the people, according to their enlightenment, and so it is good for the people to acquire all the knowledge they can the better to judge men and matters for the political good of their country. Labour, through its extremism, often aims at a state of tyranny; but one of its members offered the London Conference good advice the other day when lie remarked that when Labor -steps into power it does not want ‘a pledge hound, oathridden party.-’ That of course would he but another form of Government tyranny. As ho remarked, what- is required are ‘‘vital representatives who '•'ill think and act for Themselves." That is the very ideal of sound government. hut it has never worked out in practice, for then you get a. party of one. and such a “party is not numerous enough to effect any advance. So we have the stage where “parties” come to the fore, and by the association of men with common ideals we arrive at- a combination which in strength is able to rule for the time being till supplanted by a party ninnorically stronger and necessarily offering a more acceptable policy to the people.

Xkw ZuAt.AND which has enjoyed always a good measure—and lately a full measure- of democratic government thanks to the complete form of adult suffrage—could not really suffer from Government tyranny. But at present it has a form of parliamentary chaos resulting from the state of the {parties. It is not clear that the position can bo mended really till there is another election, and perhaps not then, unless the electoral procedure is reformed. Any reform of the electoral methods would he helpful to Labor, hilt that is not any reason to shirk the passing of the law. Strictly. Labor has its right to a voice in the government of the country, for being entrusted with a vote these enfranchised are also held to he capable of becoming representatives by the voice of the people. So there is no reason why the democrats of New Zealand should not be as courageous as Premier Mussolini in Italy in boldly declaring their ability to rule if given the opportunity to do so. But no party can gain the favor of the people without first sub-

niitting an acceptable policy, and that is the test for all parties. Labor with its extremism, warps its chances nt the crucial moment, and delays its entry to power when it would have the opportunity to show its ability to rule. In the course of lii.s address at the 1 unction at Awakino on Thursday in connexion with the openig of the Awakino Valley road, the Hon. J. G. Contes (Minister of Public Works) tipple some interesting remarks as to the policy of the Department in regard to the expenditure of public works money. Tn his opinion, he said, no political consideration .should be brought into the Public Works administration. He had studiously endeavoured to avoid placing any item on the Enstimatcs through the political shade or colour of any district or imliviclti.il. The allocation cf public money was a difficult matter, hut they had a system and method whereby the money voted to each engineering district was arrived at by mathematical calculation. Each engine ring district then allocated its amount by another mathematical calculation, taking into Consideration the length of the road, capacity of the districts to pay rates on the construction and maintenance of roads, proximity of metal, general difficulties, rainfall, and other matters that affect read construction and maintenance. In some eases there wore large areas from which they could not expect a great deal of rates, Igit tile road firmed the connecting link between two important districts.

Tint system of distribution of public work" votes, said the Minister, might not l.e perfect, bnl it fairly correctly allocated the money and was belter than the previous system. When allocated lb,' money was handed over to the local bodies to expend. There was thus co-ordination between the local authorities and the Public Works Department. Regarding the order of urgency. he said that every settler must first he given access. It was impoitniit that every man uim went on the land must haw an opportunity of making good, otherwise the country would lose untold Health. When a number of settlors in a distiiet lose patience there must be some go. <] cause for their grievance, and they must endeavour to get behind that cause. Next after access, settlers must he given roads to carry their produce as quiekly and economically as possible to the neatest market or loan. The Minister briefly touched also mi the Highways Rill, pointing out that the Highways Hoard came into operation next month. Multiplicity of local authorities did not lend itself to the const ructien of main rends, which all realised they must have. Provision had been made in the Hill for six thousand miles of main roatl, which could lie added to later. He believed that in time the Highways Hoard, given the assistant!' of I'arlianient, would eliminate the effect of multiplicity of local aniherities and uv-Id the different standards of roads.

Tiik 1 1 >i ii jx is ;m academic pronouncement V. lii. il road- line ;i:ui large ns li policy, lull it is in the details, where the best conies. Apropos of roads maintenance, a letter from the Alijiixter in anetlier column of this page, to the local ( ounty Council, supplies ready pi oof of how iinsat isfaetory is the Alin-i-lei's polcy m nctiiitl njijilicati<>ll. The .Minister calmly and indifferently hands over some Id miles of main roads to the County for future mnintonanee. The pleasure he expresses probably arises from the feeling that the letter being written on the eve of Easter, the unwanted presi nt might he regarded by the community as an Ea.-tcr gift. Hie Minister makes a poor effort to sweeten the pill whieh the local laxly has to swallow oil behalf of tile ratepayers, by gilding the gift with the pr mi-v of a couple of votes. Actually ih.e e are not gifts, for they are for the district by right. Parliament having voted the money for specific purposes for 1922-23 but the Minister in a hurst of assumed generosity now passes the amount on to tile overburdened Council. Mi (Valeo is surely living up to his rcputal ion of being a very fine fellow I It will he noted that the Cotintil i- to consider the matter at its meeting on Tuesday next when no doubt something will be said on behalf of the ratepayers who will he called on to pay. pay, pay.

Wjli:n t lie County Council had n report prepared on the state of the rood and bridges proposed to he handed over, n conservative estimate of tho <• st of putting tiie thoroughfare in order was about Co,ooo. of which about £3OOO "Vie required tor the bridges alone. Tile 1 .oveniment lias allowed the road and tlio bridges to drift, till at present some of the bridges are impnssable with safety except with reduced loading. Recently the main mail bridge at lvauieri had to be closed to traffic altogether, and to place it in order to carry the ordinary traffic of the district will cost at least a couple of thousand pounds. The vote of £I,OOO which Mr Coates suggests the Council should use for bridges was earmarked when Parliament voted the money for special bridges on the 80-s road. Presumably those structures will now have to take their (bailee in securing the attention which the Department thought necessary some time ago when placing the vote on the Estimates. As the Minister is not providing any subsidy for annual maintenance as a f| not:< for the general traffic using the public highway, it would appear some penalty is proposed to be placed on tlie district. Hut probably this will lie rectified when the 'Council draws the Minister’s attention to tlio serious omission which is at once noticeable.