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Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1928, Page 4

Tueuk is a well-known quotation of old about the difficulty of serving two masters, which lias passed into ,i., colloquialism. and is often to lie heard expressed It was heard of this week. 'I lie truism eml>edded in the recorded saying is brought him by the plight of Labour members who are not subject alone to their constituencies, but also to the Labour Parliamentary Committee. AYe notice that the Rcvd. J. K. Archer who was a candidate lor Christchurch North seat, and finished last of the three candidates, is also National President of the Labour organisation aforesaid. Mr Archer is not one to hide his light under a bushel, and so he broke out on Thursday by giving his views on the political situation, by decaring oracularly that Labour will entertain no thought of coalition or compromise! He hastened to add to this dogmatic utterance that this was but the expression of his personal opinion because he “had not consulted the members of the Executive.” Then he went on to say patronisingly, that “we shall not, however, adopt a dog-in-tho manger attitude and refuse to support any position that is brought down for the good of the people generally. It certainly seems rather rich that an individual who the evening before was soundly defeated by the votes of the people should at once assert himself and using the comprehensive “we” indicate that behind every member under the Labour banner there is a superior master above the constituents who lias the omnipotent jxnver of directing the members’ votes in Parliament. It would appear, therefore, that Labour members are set what is supposed to he the impossible task of endeavouring to servo two masters. First, there is the constituency, and behind tTfat is Thfc all powerful Executive of the political machine presided over by Mr Archer (whom the votes of the people rejected) to decide what a Labour member may do with his vote. Mr Archer in the first instance indicated definitely his own personal view to reject any thought of a coalition, and in the second place modifies the position by declaring a member may be moderate if flip Executive considers any steps for the good of the people—but the individual member elected for Labour loses his independence which is not to his party leader but to bis Executive. AYe wonder what Mr Holland, the Leader, thinks of Mr Archer thus speaking out of his turn, though the President indicates to all the world that the Executive has Powers even more potential than those of the accredited loader. He, 100. must submit to two masters!