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Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1928, Page 4

Tim electors tliis week showed their discernment of the real political issue by not giving undue encouragement to Labour. The party had certain assistance by reason of triangular fights, wliieh would not have been available in a straight out issue as between two parties. In the main, the issue was the maintenance of constitutionalism as the country has enjoyed it over many decades, as against the vague and shadowy system of socialism outlined in the varied and varying Labour policies put forward in the successive platforms. The votes of the country recorded against Labour rule show emphatically that New Zealand is true blue and not likely to turn red. In that respect the Reform and United votes may he counted as equally in opposition. and it is a pleasing aspect of the elections. The electors by Hie Dominion vote recorded against Labour have shown they have no faith in the notion that the ideal State is one in which everything would he socialised—in which there would he no right of private property, no privatelyowned pro|)erty, no privately-owned industry, no private possessions of any kind. Obviously in such a State, where every one would lie a servant of the State, and paradoxically, a servant of himself as a unit in the State, t lie re would lie an entire lack of any incentive to industry, of any spur to ambition, of any encouragement to selfreliance and independence. But even if the establishment of such a State was desirable, the Labour Party has produced no plan by which the attainment of its aims would be practicable. It has not indicated how it would proceed about the business of socialising the means of production, distribution, and exchange. If it would he by a process of confiscation, it would be adopting a course that would he plainly immoral and reprehensible. If it would he by a process of buying out the owners of existing properties and businesses and industries. it would be perpetuating the existence of capitalism in a State in which capita] was to be abolished. If it would be. as one of the candidates of the party has suggested, by a process of competition, it would lie courting disaster. The objective of the Labour Party is. in reality, both retrograde and impracticable. It merits, therefore, the Opposition with which it is mot by the anti-Socialists in the community who gave their support to the Reform and United Parties. Labor used the situation to the fullest extent. The division between Reform and United was used to the fullest extent, and Reform will have it on its mind that it aided and abetted Labour to some extent in various quarters to its own undoing really, for Reform has suffered through encouraging support for Labour in certain instances Labour made an adroit appeal in all the circumstances. It approached .sectional interests very cleverly and it reaped a certain return. but fortunately the aggregate return is not of value. Yet while it helped itself to some extent, it certainly did harm to Reform in the major effect, and this is being recognised by many now that it is too late to recall foolish votes not exercised with a due regard for national interests.