WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

PRIME MINISTER'S .M AM KHSTO. NEWSPAPERS’ APPROYAL.

-.Special in "Guardian.") \vi-:i.unction, October r,. The local newspapers are emphatic .iiiil iliumimens m t heir approval oJ the prime Miliisior’s election manifesto. | ,\s might have been expected." tin* | Dominion ” says. " the inanilesto is | simple, direct mill xlriiighttorwai'd. It - is pmnal'tlv and in essence a statement , ui tl:i- guiding principles upon which. , m the Crime .Minister's opinion, mens- , mvs oi policy that will conduce to the i welfare and prosperity of the eomniun- :| v must lie based. It contains less iiian such documents niton do in de.mj oroinises, hut it is evidently the , ,wui< of one who is determined to mar,jiaI and direct all the lorecs of [iro- , ress to the best advantage. Above all. it is free from any trace o| narrow j :;ii tv stiii'it." The " I’nst w lii !<• admitting the sincerity u! both parlies, ami recognising a strung reseniblaiice liel ween the policies, secs a distinction between them in decree and in diflereui'e of exposition. “I he Nationalists. ii maintains. ” lavor agricultural banf.s. u i tli a (tovernieelit guarantee; Relorm proposes a thorough invest tga;m t|-,e system Indore taking aei ion. The Nationalists propose reduction of direct taxation on the neccssarie, of life and assistance to secondare indnsiries; Reform promises investigation to determine how Protection mid lower taxation may he reconciled. Reform, the " Post " thinks, has cltos.ll the belter nail ill making no glib promises and attempting: to " inform tie- electors." Th.e ".New Zealand Tillies” applauds Mr Coates with all the ardour ol the roecnl eonvert. lull it j- sea reel v so coherent as are Us coni elnpora rie>. A 1.l HER AI. VIEW. A l.iberal member ol the llollse. a '.rank supnnrter ol ” tusiou " and |U'ofessedl\ a “ believer in Coates,” thinks the manifesto does niiteli less than iustiee to the Prime Minister and his good intent inns. ” .lust a collcetion ot stock phrases, worn threadbare twenty years ami and strung out lar mo king by our own party." lie said to-day when asked his opinion of tho document. " liless me,— ■ sound and prudent lilinnrc,' ' closer settlement,’ ' well-being of State and Kinpiro.' 'lm in aiii ta t'ian legislat ion.' 'modernised education.’ 1 local government hoard, ‘ national salety and progressive development ’-—we had tile whole lot ot them Iona: before Mr Seddon died, and then they did duty for Sir Joseph Ward and Mr Massey for aunt tier twenty years.” This amused critic had mu read the newspaper opinions of the manifesto, and when he was told that the Prime Minister was being applauded fur not having; any opinion ol his own oil the larmers' bank (piestion or the incidence of taxation, lie smiled broadly. ” 1 hat’s all very well i roin the newspapers’ point ol view." he declared. "They are out to squelch the Opposition, whether l.iberal or I.about', and the Prime Minister’s persona! popularity and his inexperience are the weapons ready to their hands, lint Coates is going 1u learn (pliekly. and a vear lienee, whatever the result ol the election, he 'till not be reiteratin'.: the old stale nlira-es rehashed for him on this occasion.” Probably this represents the general l.iberal view. i.Alton;. i.abntir, which always lakes its politics more seriuiislv than do the other two parties in the House lake theirs, is Jiv on mean- inclined to make light of the manifesto As a matter ol but ii regards the Reformers less imbivnuraldy Ilian it does the l.iberal'-. iis immediate ambition being rather to become the oliieial Opposition by virtue of ii - inerea-ed numbers than to mount (be Treasury Renebes. Mr 11. !.. Holland. the leader ot the party, hurried away to hi- own constituency in the dosing hours of the session, and hiinlicagues -m the spot are not disposed m discuss the position very Ireely. Ti C\ I idiciile. how el-, Ihe idea that they are going In lm,e vote-, through lie shipping si like. They am satislied. one of t heir number -aid this niorniu that, in spile of the disadvantages under which their party labour-, il is going to poll learner t linn over before at me approaching election and win additional "ail-. This untiloiiiv. nilhoul al lai bln:' much importance to the manifesto, thought it a very Siibl h* bid lor oil,-.. J i nns l rue, lie said, that Mr Conte-, had avoided as lar a- possible, making definite promises. which i olilil le quoted against 1 111 ti Inter on: but lie bail implied a gi'enl ns'iny. This, he added, alnm-i apologel iea I Is ■, was not a heinous oM'encc at eleetion time. Votes had I t-ei>un• with tin' older parties so inueh a null"!' ol bargaining that both candidates and elei-tiu's v.ere ready to condone It;c praetiie. Apparently I.aimin' nluii" iif-i'i vis a more admirable e.,de. I UK MAN IN Till-: STRKKT. Tin- man in the stive! is ea massing the pro-pel I - oi the appi uni liing election with mure animation than lie lias displayed in a similar eieui for many a tear. 11 ha - been so pel's jsti-ii Ily dinneil iuio Id- cars during the la-t f.-w non l li- I lia i a strong, stable (.'overt! nieiii i- ab-.olulely nei'c-.-ary to save Ila ■ liuuiinlon i roui the clutclic- of I lie Conimuin-Is. l’oi-l:ei il; - and oilier eld I v disposed people It,at lie has begun In bclici •' 1 tie t loci ton ti'allv lias some lniei'e-i for himself, lie thinks ” fusion ” i- the right t lung without mi-

del-standing very i loarly what it nk'aiis--s.iiid he regar-Is Mr ('nates as t lie right man to bring it about. Mis idea of "fusion ” perhaps is not the one whieli would appeal to the average polnieiau. hut it is practical enough. Me would have the Prime .Minister relieved ol all his present oblignt ions t o Ill’s party and free to select his Colleague, trom any section of the [louse, lie would leave the private members of the present parties to vote a- they pleased on any question Hint might

arise and lie would have the Government removed from office only on a direct vole of no-confident o. The Government. that is. would not be able

to i-ijiTv through a measure obnoxious to a ma jority of t lie House by threatening to resign if it were defeated. That !ho t ltree-nart v sy-U'in would lie tinnllv extinguished I>v " fusion " no one honest Iv believes. but lli;«t it would l.e kept in subjection for a consideralile time is a reasonable assumption.