The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is in-Corporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, MAY 20th, 1924.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is inCorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, MAY 20th, 1924.

THK POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE. Tiik platform oratory of the representatives of the throe political parties in New Zealand should l»o helpful in giving a clearer vision as to the relative leanings of Reform. Liberal and Labor. At election time it is customary for the Reform leaders and piess to rail at the Liberals because they are alleged to be in unholy alliance with Labor described so often as Red. Labor in turn alleges that Reform and Liberal ore hand in glove, nml in the end tlio Liberal party has had to pay dearly at the

polls for these reciimin.dions. Just now Mr Willord and some of his lieutenants are touring the country and making it plain where the party stands in the political j ieture. The Liltcrals hove elected to stand alone, a distinct and composite party, able, and willing to give the |»cople a sound policy quite in keeping with the traditions of the I'Aitv wlimi tornierly in office. The Liberals have disowned militant Labor, and at Napier l-'.-t week at- Mr Witch’s meeting, as if to accentuate the poinl. the political Labor following which was at the meeting carried an adverse motion extolling l.idrir and its leader. Mr Holland. This is very appropriate to the political j esition and should help c.'eai the atmosphere. There was a plain statement of fact that, the Liberals and tlic Labor party have nothing in eoinnioti as political | al lies seeking to fuse forces for government by coalition or otherwise. Mr Willord lets seized upon the eiivunistance ut Napier to emphasise the poinl. which it ihoped will sjnk into the minds of the people ,is a whole, and when next general -•le-tioii conies ;o:md, aed ilic usual canard'- arc being maddo

duty in .111 unfair way. l-bc people will remember the wide bieacli there 1-. in political aims and aspirai ioiis as between liberal and Labor in tho Dominion. No doubt most of the false reports as to t.ln'- alleged unity between the two parties came t'loni tho Reform side. 11l SMIIIC cases there was a temporary advantage, hill In the bucj run Reform has been found out. and when it cri"- "wolf" again, when' there, is not- any way 111 Ibe ioliiie.il woods, its cr.v of at a rut. will fall on deaf ears. It is well therefore that the Liberal.criticism now being made in the North Island should be continued, ns the safest kind of propaganda to use. because the members of the party are being brought into direct touch with the people, and from the public platform can relate tho political history of the times at a period when tlu-re is not any .stress of a political battle and when the atmosphere is clearer tiecau.sc of th<‘ calm which is prevailing. The Liberal side of the political history of the country requites to be expounded because year by year many potential electors are coming into electoral rights, mid it is well that they should know .something of the trend of events in the past as a guide .for the. future. The Liberals have the greatest right to credit for that long chain of legislation which lifted New Zealand ahead in times pnst. and gave the country the first advantage in the polilieal councils of the Empire, if not of tho world.