WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1926, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE CANADIAN ELECTIONS. LOCAL INTEREST. (Special to tl Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, September 17. The Canadian Parliamentary election ( just concluded scarcely can be regarded as a Wellington topic, but the . issues attached to the contest: have more than a passing local interest. Tlie two morning papers have recognised this fact by devoting leading articles . to the result. The “Dominion.” whidh naturally looks askance at a party bearing the title of “Liberal,” hesitates to believe that the senior Dominion has deliberately committed itself to another period of government under the leadership of Mr Mackenzie King. “The result of the election has been a victory for the Liberals, it says, “ but whether this can be claimed to vindicate the issues on which they went to the country is not so certain. Elections do not always determine the true merits of contentions issues. They may merely reflect the result of superior fighting organisation during the campaign. An important issue may be obscured by an adroit change of -front and the magnification of a mere side issue.” In view of what happened in this country nine or ten months ago it seems iust a little hazardous for the “ Dominion ” to admit that “ elections do not always determine the true merits of contentious issues.” but on that account its candour is all the more admirable. - CANADA’S LOYALTY. The “New Zealand Times” deals with the position from a different point of view. “ Downing Street and sturdy Imperialists generally,’.’ it declares, “ will warm to the news ot the victory of Mackenzie King.’,’ The Canadian Conservative leader and his followers have persistently thrown doubts on Mr Mackenzie King’s loyalty to the Crown and the Constitution and the “Times” reqifotes the memorable passage in which the Liberal chief repudiated the slander. “If annexation wore proposed by any responsible party to-mor-row.” it recalls Mr King saying, “I would journey from one end of this broad dominion to tbe other and oppose it with all the force at my command, as I can think of no higher, no greater, no happier destiny lor this country than to continue to he a selfgoverning Dominion within the great British Empire which encircles the globe. . . The British flag means a great deal to the people of the Old Land, as does the British Constitution ; but it means more to us. yes, a great deal more, as it represents centuries of struggle against oppression in order that we may enioy the liber--1 ties our forbears won.” These impre-s- ---’ sive words should set at rest any concern that has been entertained in regard to Canada’s loyalty. The Hon. Downie Stewart stated to-day that the result of the election would in no way 1 prejudice Now Zealand’s relations with ’ the sister Dominion. LICENSING. ' Though Mr K. A. Armstrong, the secretary of the Licensing Reform Association refuses to he drawn into a controversy with Mr .1. Malton Murray. the executive secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, concerning the suggestion of the Prime Minister that the opposing parties in the liquor squabble j should get together in conference, tlie latter gentleman continues to air his grievances in the newspapers. His last bomb was burled at bis arch-enemy through the columns of the “ Post ” last evening in the shape of a resolution adopted by the Alliance at its annual meeting. “ That the Standing ’ Committee should bo instructed,” this missile runs, “ that should occasion arise, wo cannot agree to confer with representatives of or other persons financially interested in the liquor traffic, but that our officers will gladly confer with the Prime Minister himself or other Minister of the Crown or with the Government on any matters affecting the objective of the alliance.” It is easier to sympathise with the aspirations of the Alliance than it is with some of its methods. The Prime .Minister in perfect good faith suggested in the House that the contending parties should confer with a view to ascertaining if there were points upon which they could agree. The reply of the Alliance speaks for itself. BCTTER CONTROL. The members of the Auckland provincial executive of the Farmers’ Cnion cannot he complimented upon their retort to Sir James Allen’s suggestion that tlie Dairy Board should move warily in the application of its policy to the London market. Sir James’s chief offence in the eyes of these gentlemen seems to have been in eulogising the good work done by the Meat Hoard. It was regrettable, one of them said, that so many public men in New Zealand were ready to eulogise the Meat Board. The Meat Board, this critic declared, was not tackling the position, hut the Daily Board was going ahead in an effort to solve the problems besetting the industry. Tlie Meat Board bad 110 policy and was merely shilly-shallying. To these vigorous protests were added assertions to tlie effect that Sir James,Allen was no friend of the farmers, that his .sympathies were with the opponents of control, that lie had misrepresented the policy of the Dairy Board and that lie was the friend of speculators and exploiters. And all the poor man had done was to express a hone that the Dairy Board would do nothing hastily to estrange the goodwill of the British consumers from the New Zealand producers!