WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1924, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE THREE PARTY SYSTEM.

CONFLICTING VIEWS.

[Special To The Guardian.]

WELLINGTON, Jan. 21

The sadly perturbed Wellington dailies arc- seizing with avidity upon the political situation til Home as a text for reiterated denunciations ol the three-party system. Ihe “Evening Post," usually the most sedate ol city journals, is perhaps a little more agitated than it- contemporaries are over the fact that the British electors have definitely flouted the traditions of a century by refusing to confine their differences of opinion to the limits prescribed by their forefathers. "The three-party system." it says. "plays into the hands of the political strategist. The leader who can use his forces cleverly, moving them a- pawns upon a chessboard. has r.n advantage over the opponent who has not thought it necessary to study this hu-mo t. Bargaining, barteiing and compromise are encouraged. 1. nder such circumstances a policy based upon principles is at a discount. Expediency is the jest and office the goal. Such a slate ~i' affairs cannot lie to the advantage of the people. It i- bound io lead to

slackness in admini trai ion, and ii inav produce disastrous financial ie-

Milt-. for economy can be practised and a -ale financial poke;, followed only by a Government which i- as-nred of the coidideine and continued -up-pm-t of II majority n> PaPinim-nt.’ From tlii- dciniacialiou ol the l!,recpartv system the “Po-t” proceeds to deplore its application to New Zealand. REFORM'S PERIL. The evening journal admits that New Zealand has suffered the threeparty sy-lem so lar without any di--nstrntis results; bill it arcs peril at hand. •'Now." ii continues, “no party has an absolute majority of it- own; but the Reform Party is kepi in office |,v (lie '.ides of three members pledged nm to vote with Labour to defeat it. \ t ,M,v lime it may happen that this narrow margin will be further dimiiii - Ill’ll. ’ ’ For the coni i nunno ■ of this unsat islact ory -tale ol affairs, it declares. there is neither need nor excuse. In New Zealand, it maintain-, there is one great seelimi ol people pledged to no party and holding a simple political laitli which requires regular progressive iegislal ion and prudent administration. “These pen pie.” the •■Post" says, '•look to men of proved integrity and lamest worth io deal with each problem a- :t arises, ami they neither desire nor approve artiuciai division- which injure the vet:ist, ei moderate progre-s. I lie ■•Po.-t” does not indicate how these superior people voted at the last general election, hat in it, lairuess it probably would accept the a-.-umpiion that tie.-ir suppuri was proportionately distributed between the three parties. THE OTHER SIRE. A robust -empathise!' with the Labour Party, who doc- not subscribe to its extreme doctrines nor approve ol all it- methods, speaking on the sub ji eI to day said that what struck him lilo.i about, the “Post’s'.’ attitude wait-. amazing lnconsi-Gmey. I he evening journal idv.ay - '.a- elaiuouriug for the re|,reseiilat ion ol every considerable section of public opinion in Parliament, and towards lid- end bad accepted the principle of proportional rcpiesentalion ; but now. becam e Lab our. in suite of a notoriously dele live system ot elect i, ,n, had assert, d it elf at Home, ibis champion of Demociacy ami friend of the '‘under dog" was re canting all it- id; mer profession < ..1 laitli and niging New Zealand to re iurn to the system ol one-man government whiili allows the private member no more liberty than is implied in the injunction to "vote at U party ■ ( nil. ' Put tills is He- rr -it:- muii'!'.,rauouv person vvmarheit -uh -> g, - ini'. (!, cat ..Wit ibas .Cpcet ■ he subject. “They are Democrats to tlieir iinger-tip til! Democracy Ireadi*n their toes." To say that the lb icepail v system encourages bargaining, bartering and rotnprnmi-". in an undesirable sense. is. thi- authority think-, -tolf and mms-m-e. ! In' wet'-'* ii. can do Is to crovide • liti. i-m and advice from three different points ot view and io give a. minority an opp'irliinii y , make i; elf ln-ard and ielt. IDEA f. REI'RESEN TATI ON. Tim l.abour symn.itiii-ea was quite content to lot the V. bob- case rest- on the es-eniinl principle ef rep:'.- euia i mu. which was. be -sod. that it would l.e trill.- representative. He did not know exactly what bad happened in

Great Britain at the recent elections, blit lie understood that neither tbo Liberals nor tile Labourites had obtained more than their fair share of representation. Everyone knew what had happened in New Zealand at the last election here, Each of the three parties obtained approximately the measure of representation to which it was entitled'by the number of votes it polled. The Reformers with 200,972 votes secured 34 European seats, the Liberals with 189,100 votes 2-1 seats, the Labourites with 142,361 votes 16 seats and the Independents with .26,701 votes two seats. The lie!armors were in a minority of 90, 199 in votes and of six in seals, but a majority of two in the .Maori votes and the defection of three Liberal votes enabled them to hold oflice. Vby should this I<e a- a crime iivnie-t the three-parly system!' Iho tun minorities, this attihoriiy avers, certainly bud nothin:.: to (lo with the bureuinin" Hint- sort'd the (iovornj r.'- :i: