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Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1928, Page 2

Avropoh the contest for the Westland seat in Parliament, to- which the Greymouth morning paj>ei* ■ referred last Monday, it is as well at this juncture l<> say something of the contest itself as it appears to strike us. As the Argus has made clear, Mr O’Brien is to represent Labour interests as organised under Mr Holland. Mr Soddon will he nominated in anti-Labour interests. It seems clear as the days go by that the next elections will bo fought largely on those two issues. There is a third party in Parliament, Imt all along it is being made clear that United Party supporters will not vote to put Reform out. that Labour limy go on the Treasury benches. This political agreement suggests that the Labour policy is at a discount, and the reasons will 1 be well understood by those who have followed the fortunes of the Labour party in this and other countries. It is not that the Labour 'party is in illfavour because of its promises, but rather for its jyerformances. Labour politically often offers an attractive programme in its readiness to promise all sorts of good things without weighing the possibilities of providing them. Labour is often radical in its views, hut it is not because of this that Reform and the National Party have an unwritten agreement to jointly hold the Labour Parliamentary Party at hay. It is, as we say, the performances, the record of the party in the past. In Britain we saw how Labour * consorted with Bolshevism and when it had its one political chance it failed to retain the confidence of the people. There was the suggestion of disloyalty and disruption, and that was enough for the electors. In Australia Labour has has many opportunities, hut nowhere has it established can fide nee. Rather the opposite, especially where corruption has been proved, and where over nil there has been an atmosphere of disloyalty. Here in the Dominion we have not noticed the leaders of tho Labour Party specially prominent in assisting to maintain law and order when strikes were rampant. There has l>e?n impossible extravagance mooted in political policies. ■Confiscation of properties has been urged. There is a 1 wavs a hitter attack on so-called “capital.” Labour would undermine t-lie sense of security under which trade and business is carried out; oust private ownership that all things hut labour itself might be nationalised; check and even prevent individual liberty in the matter of employment, and generally so order governmut by a rule of administration suggestive of terrorism. In addition there is the sense of uncertainty bordering on insecurity from Labour rule which suggests the party is not desirable for governmental rule.