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Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1928, Page 2

Political platforms can he made very outstanding. Its a way the leaders have of setting out a number of high sounding captions, and leaving it to the imagination to fill in the details. Political promises are like the proverbial piecrusts. We have had them in plenty in New Zealand—but they still are promises, unfulfilled. Prior to the last general election New Zealand boomed with the clarion call of Reform set out in large type in so many newspapers. We were told all about the man who was to get things done, and all that sort of thing, and had such fine sounding slogans as iless

Government in business and more business in Government. That has proved I a very costly slogan to the Government, which has failed to live up to its ex-pressed intentions. Many ardent Reformers have withdrawn from the Conservative circle, because, despite hints and reminders of the promises from the hustings, the Government has failed to live up to the character it gave itself nearly three years ago. This decision is manifested in the growing strength of the United Party, which, notwithstanding the jibes of the Reform press, appears to he growing in strength and influence, to such an extent that it is now being attacked, even before its policy is declared. However, the United Party is paddling its own canoe very adroitly, and apparently just giving "out enough information to keep its political opponents thinking. Really, if the ..electors wish to study a platform they could not do better than hark hack to the good old Liberal days, wTien a policy was placed on the Statute Book which did New Zealand such service. In all branches of administration, whether banking, land settlement, labour refoirms, or what not, tho Liberals were able to produce a policy which worked as a magic for New Zealand. Probably a good few folk are thinking hack to those better political days, and that is one reason why the United Party is finding favour. That party seems to be centred in the main tenets of Lilieralism, and its acting Leader is one who matured in politics not only as a Liberal, blit as ail outcome of the Liberal land policy. Labour has now come forward with its political platform. But there seems to be some familiar planks lacking.- Labour is not feeling as ruddy as in the days of yore, or else its complexion is being affected by the steady evolution of time. The platform contains much that is interesting, hut there is an absence of essential details, and the record of the party, not to put too fine a point on the situation, throws a doubt whether the catalogue is a complete confession of political policy, or whether something might be kept in the background for fear of frightening timorous electors. But we shall expect to see the points further elaborated in the near future.