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Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1925, Page 2

is what has been said before in relation to the Westland seat, a special reference has been made to the-can-didature of Mr Seddon. Something will bo expected to he .said of Air O'Brien, the sitting member. Air O'Brien was elected three years' ago in the interests of the Labour party, and he lias fulfilled his election pledges in that respect to the letter. Mr O'Brien personally has worked hart’ to serve the district, lie has been untiring and has been attentive. and much could lie -aid in praise of his earnest work along those lines. T’nI'nrtiinntely lie is associated with a party which lends readily to the extreme. lie is a pn mint-lit member of that party, and is zealous to do what he can for his colleague,-. Westland, we have assumed always ha- not as an electorate been disposed to extreme action. Speaking of thi- portion of the electorate, the people have been ipiite the other way. they me not disposed to tolerate extreme action. AVe recall that in the time of the National (lovernment when Sir .lames Allen and the late Hon W. 1). MacDonald visited the Coast in connection with some ugly labor trouble-, the Ministers were invited here mid in unite a spontaneous manner the people gave the fullest expression of the views and desires in tin' loyal support of law and order. They have done so here on other occasions wlien maritime trouble was in the air. Such being the ea-e. we take it that so far as this portion is concerned. ii docs not believe in encouraging actions which would defy authority. bailor parties all have that tendency, driven to extremes as tliey invariably are by those of their party who are the most noisy, and lea-t considerate. Air O'Brien has always iilentilied himself very closely with the political Labor party ot llii- country. ami we know tliat on o: -ca-imis t.liey swing to extremes. Tin* political Labor party at, Home is muc! divided within itself, hut it was driven out of oflice when it had the opportunity to legislate by it- own extremists. In Australia to-day we see the trend of Labor (iovernmeiit which has a tinvt harmful bent. It. will not support agreements, and instead threatens to encourage a state of civil war if the I'Vilcral authentic- seek to uphold the law of the land. It will not be good tor New Zealand if ilie Labor party here is helped to augment its I'arliametilary strength. There is the time coming now lor the people to i house whether they will be governed by proved sane and stable ways, or all'ord the opportunity for extremists to rem h the direction of power, and -o alter the whole future of this promising country. The election approaching is in fact a choice of the two forms of national government.