RESUSCITATION OF LIBERAL PARTY

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1927, Page 4

RESUSCITATION OF LIBERAL PARTY

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S VIEW

(Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, Oct. 7. In the course of an informal chut during the dinner adjournment this evening Sir Joseph Ward said he had nothing material to add to the statement concerning the political position he had made from the platform during the recent Raglan election campaign. He was a Tittle 1 afraid, however. that some of his personal and political friends at a distance," dependent upon the telegraphed version of his allusion to tlfe resuscitation of the Liberal Party, had been left with the impression that he was a candidate for the leadership of the party. He had received letters and telegrams lrom all parts of the Dominion con-gratulat-ng him upon his return to the lighting line and wishing him well. The attentions all were very gratifying, hut they were a little premature. It was not for him to nominate the leader of the party or to shape its policy. What he had wished to convey to his friends in the north was that, while he was not hankering after personal distinction, lie felt It would he his duty to respond to any definite call that might he made upon him for service in the Liberal cause. AiN UNFORTUNATE STEP. ‘•There is no need to mince words upon this matter,’’ Sir Joseph went on to say. “The Liberal Party in the House has been practically effaced. There is no occasion to haggle over the responsibility for this state rf affairs. T am prepared to bear any share of the blame that may come my way. But there can be no doubt that a mistake was made in changing the party’s name to National. This was equivalent, to renouncing the greatest political force this country ever has

known and belittling the achievements of men like Grey and Ballance and Seddon, who, each in bis own way, had indelibly associated themselves with the progressive development of the country. But happily the Liberal spirit in the constituencies still survives. It did not express itself at the last, general election liecause it was discouraged and unorganised. Many old Liberals voted with the Reformers and many young ones with Labour.” SIGNS OF THE TIME.

“The outcome of this temporary association between stagnation and progress, ’’ Sir Joseph continued, “lias not been altogether deplorable. Liberals all over the Dominion are eager to return to the old camp. There is evidence of this throughout the country. It was emphasised at the Raglan by-election the other day by a decline of 2,245 in the Reform vote and an increase of 089 in the Liberal and Labour votes. In a much smaller poll than that at the general election these figures are very significant. The Reform vote declined by 45 per cent, while the 1 abour vote increased by 34 per cent and the Liberal vote by 13 per cent. It was the abstinence of old Liberals from voting for Reform, as they bad done at the last general election, that gave the seat to Labour. When Mr live, stood Putins constituency as a Liberal candidate in 1922 lie polled 2.718 votes, only 770 behind the number polled by the lute Mr Bollard. When be stood as a Nationalist candidate in 1925 he secured no more than 905 votes, while Mr Bollard polled 1170 and the Labour candidate 1014. Surely those figures show the way popular opinion is trending.”

BACK TO SOUND PRINCIPLES. (Sir Joseph did nut wish to blame the Liberal members for having changed the name of their party, further than to say they should have (onsulted the Liberals outside their own litLle circle before proceeding to such a stop. It was a mistake, but not an irreparable mistake, and there should lie no great difficulty in bringing til! sane, progressive people together under the same banner again, 'flic Reformers—all in ihe game, of course—have raised the cries of “Socialism” and “Communism,” not merely for the purpose of discrediting the Labour Party, hut more particularly for the purpose of advertising their own party as the only refuge for sane and law-abiding electors. The same tactics had been employed, with less success, during the early days of the Ballance Government, when the Liberal leader and his six colleagues were styled by tiicir Cocnservative critics 1 “The Seven Devils of Socialism.” The 'day for that sort of controversy bail passed, a,ml it was a, poor sort of patriotism that attempted to keep it alivo among honest men and women merely for party purposes.

* LIBERAL’S OPPORTUNITY. Reverting to the resuscitation of the Liberal Party, Sir Joseph gave it j as bis opinion that if anything effective were to be done it would have to be done quickly and with a settled purpose. The first slop should be the consolidation of the progressive elements in the House. AVTifie there were Nationalists, Liberals and Independents professing the same creed and still standing apart, no real progress could be made. There must be unanimity, candour, confidence and a certain measure of self-sacrifice. A platform of not more than half a dozen planks should unite the party. The necessary funds for organisation and propaganda would be forthcoming provided the revival were launched on a sound basis. The ball was at the feet of the Liberals and the Reformers wore making opportunities for them every clay. There was discontent with the Government’s policy and administration from one end of the country to the other. It was not only the workers and the farmers and the salaried people that were complaining. Business men and professional men. manufacturers and investors, were as dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs as were other sections of the community. “Never before in the history of the country’s Parliament.”

said Sir Joseph in conclusion, “has there been such a crying need for an effective Opposition.”