WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES

LA BO I'll .VXD F.LKCTOKAL KKKORM. xo compromise. [SrnriAi. To Tiie Guardian.] WFI.UXOTOX. Nov, 0. The Labour Party, to its credit, is frank in admitting that the existing system of electing members of Parliament served it well in the appeal to the constituencies last December. As a matter ot laet bc>th the Reformers and the Labourites profited hv the votcs]>lit tiijcr which took place at the general election, while both the Liberals and the'lndependents suffered in a corresponding degree. The Reform advantage was still farther increased by Mr L. M. Jsitt. the member for Christchurch .\orth, and Mr George Witty, the member for Iticcurton, for reasons which seemed to themselves good and snlfieient. easting in their lot with Mr Massey on questions involving the existence of the Government. Bui notwithstanding the comparatively trifling advantage it obtained from the operation of the “first-past-the-post” system at the general election, the Labour Party, again to its credit, remains true to its profession of faith in proportional representation. [t is on this inundation it expects to see a truly do-

mocrat ie system of Government buill 0)1. and it will accept no compromise i Inn threatens to delay the completion of the structure. “THE WHOLE TRIG.”

A leading light in the Lalxjur Party discussing the matter to-day declared that the Party was not going to he diverted from its purpose by any ball measures that might be proposed by either the Government or the Ollicial Opposition. “We are going to have the whole hog or nothing.” he said. “Mr Massey’s ‘shandy-gulf’ scheme for providing proportional representation in the big cities and preferential voting in the rural districts is just a trick to preserve the iniquitous ‘country quota’ which kept him in office all these years against the distinctly expressed will of a large majority of the people. At the election of 1019. though he did not poll two-lilllts of the valid votes, be returned to the House with a majority of ten or twelve. Last December the majority against him in the constituencies was just upon fIKI.iKIO in a total vote, approximately, of (>OO.OOO and still he disports himself on the Trcasur.v Benches, and at the present moment with the authorities to borrow thirty millions in his pocket, is posing in London as the fully accredited ambassador of the people of this Dominion.’' This is scarcely a generous .statement of the position, tint it is one applauded by a growing iiumhei- of workers. “ THE PARTY OF CO.AIi’KO.AI ISK.”

This authority is no less vigorous in his criticism of the Liberals’ attitude towards electoral reform. “The Liberals.” In' went on to say. “are the parly of compromise. After their loud professions of their determination to die in the lasi ditch rather than abandon any of their principles, they are tumbling over one another in their eagerness to support the Reformers’ scheme for strangling labour as a step towards the goal ol proportional representation they have been seeking since they "ere iguominiotisly ejected from office, they, of course, have only a little less ii, vain from Air .Massey's piebald scheme than the Reformers have. They did not win a single seat in Auckland or Wellington or Christchurch at the general election--if you count Mr Witty and Air Isitt out. and only one in Dunedin, whore Air Sidey's personal popularity over-shadowed his attachment to a discredited party. They would <ii) better than this with proportional representation in the big cities, and preferential voting would save thorn from the odium of opposing the country quota it: the rural : on:-.tit:::.:t cie,. Labour is und- r no dvheiuns in regard to this question. It has to r. in proportional representation off its own bat, and it is going to do so." This authority is as optimistic as his Irani;. THE LIBERAL I'ftSITIItX, 111 the absence ~| Air T. At. Wilt’ord, the Liberal heider. who has not yet returned from Ids trip to the Far Fast, it is impossible l.i obtain any definite information as to the attitude of his parly towards .Mr .Massey’s proposals, ft is certain however, that the party lias not removed proportional representation from its platform and that it has not yet officially accepted the i’rime Minister's proposals us a step towards its ultimate goal. Ii is true, however, that just before his departure the Liber:! leader said in the course of an interview, that he was examining the proposals with much interest, and that at the proper time they would he discussed by the members of the party. 11 is own personal feeling was that the half-loaf would he heller than no bread, not as a lull accomplishment of the party's purpose, hut as a help towards its realisation. There, as fur as can he gathered, the matter stands with his party, and it is incorrect- find unfair to say that its members are tumbling over one another in their efforts to escape from their original obligation.