The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28, 1925. A NATIONAL ASPECT.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28, 1925. A NATIONAL ASPECT.

Ihk present general election lias a national aspect quite out->i<lo tin? parochial view J•<»i 11 1. A "liter in a contemporary remarked the other tlav that the winning or the losing of a Parliamentary eleetion is a very important matter. Clearly it may affect our daily lives liir three years to come. It may determine v I,ether we are to be overtaxed, whether v, e shall be fairly or nnlairlv dealt with in the matter oi public works, wlieiher our traders are to le tree or hampered; it may determine, even, whether "e are to have clash legislation and class domination. or whether all sections oi' the people are to have a square deal. This is so. but there is .something outside all that and lugger and more important than the loaves and fishes. There is tlu 1 question u! national securitv. Ihe ole tors are to decide who is to govern. The Labor programme and i; . planks strike deep at the foundation 11 1 national security as we have enjoyed it. Ihe very proposal of Labor to wipe out the Detente Act and the lack of provision for defence, means cutting the painter with the Empire. If we are not prepared to direct our own de- | fence we are surely not going to allow ourselves to become an appendage of some other country. It will be too late when the deed is done. Xow is the time to act to prevent power passing into those political forces which are tent on breaking np our national interests in the Empire. Vet, though the stakes in the political game are so high and the consequences so great if Labor is allowed to rule, the general public are showing an apathy in regard to the situation, which can be felt. The same writer, quoted at the outset, has remarked also that this year the public

interest appears to have dropped to zero. Aren cannot t>c bothered with trivialities and tire impatient at silliness and absurdity. The pity of it is that this wave of indifference should have come at a moment when Communism is beginning to lift its head in the world. A few years lienee, if this dragon grows in hulk, men "ill lie rushing to the pooling booths to squelch it with voting papers, when, it may he. nothing but guns will serve. Today the voting paper is a sufficient weapon, and this is the time when all sane men should he uniting to meet the new enemy. That is why the National Party came info being, and why it makes it< deliberate, dignified appeal to all the people to unite for the protection of the constitution. Ii is well, perhaps, that at this critical time the

course of events should have so fallen out as to bring the seamen’s strike to issue. This untoward event is as a great sign written across the political horizon, indicating the dangers into which the country would fall were it to live rein to Labor in this election. The Labor-Party in New Zealand could have saved the fanners, the shijiping eom|ianies. and all of the public affected by 11 io strike, if sound advice had been given the strikers. Tt was not given. Oil the contrary, the strik-r were encouraged in their attitude, and the loss is going on still. The experience. had and all a.s it is. on the eve of an election, seems to have been heaven sent to warn the public of the danger ahead were the count rv subjected to Labor government. Such being the ease when polling day comes a week hence, it is for the electors to bear the experience through which the Dominion is now passing in mind, and weighing the facts as they are actually trails! iriug. east their votes in such a way that so far as this electorate is concerned no voice "ill he hoard in Parliament in support of extreme Labour. I.oyaltv is a very fine feeling. It was and is on loyally that the British Mmpirc has been roared and is be-

ing maintained. Without hive of country and of Hag, the Kinjiire could not exist, and the country should he governed and the Flag held in respect l>y these of undoubted loyalty. If there is disloyalty in Parliament. disruption of the Umpire is inevitable. The doctors have the duly to ask themselves will they veils 1 for the maintenance of the Flag as all Britishers should do. We recall that three years ago on (he night of the general election when a loyalist was defeated for Westland, the Bed Flag the I.alien- song of revolution -was freely sung in the si reels of Hokitika. 1| there are to be ally vo-a! efforts next Wednesday night in town, let it be the song of the I uion .lack ol GM Kngland- the Hag of freedom and of I In- I roe.