The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1928 THE TURN OF THE POLITICAL WHEEL

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1928 THE TURN OF THE POLITICAL WHEEL

Ai.tiiouou the recent general election failed entirely to clear the air, the political situation is the more satisfactory because the Liberal party has piolited by the turn of the political wheel. This, again, is still more satisfactory, because for so long it has teen dimmed into the ears of the people that ther was only one alternative to Be for in (Conservative)—“Labour” socalled, hut of Padieal, Socialist and Communist branches—a very dangerous combination. It. seems to lie necessary only to repeat a statement often enough and however inaccurate it may lie to obtain a certain amount of credence. The old saying, however, lias been verified—“your can’t loot ALL the people ALL the time.” Three years ago the public mind was in a state of panic and gave Beform its overwhelming majority, a majority it was not aide to utilise with any advantage lo the national well-lrcing. 'Pile panic was the fear ol Labour. The Liberal parly •was said to lie dead, and if suffered seriously aL the polls. But a change has come over the scene, and there are these who regard tin? general outlook with feelings of sat is fuel ion, because of the national safely. Liberalism is coming info its own; the Labour-So-cialist element has not triumphed where it hoped to. Beform, because of its snort comings and deeds of omission ami commission has sutiered eclipse, and will lie a third parly for some time if it elects to pursue a conservative rather than a progressive policy. There? is no doubt that some of the side lights on New Zealand elections, tends to eon fuse the issues. The Now Zealand Alliance has tended to confuse the real political issues of the day in the same way that the l’.l’.A. did. The (piest ionaiiy submitted by the Alliance lo all candidates showed that votes would he governed hv how the questions were answered, rather than by the general political belief of the candidate. But despite these side winds, t.ne Liberal party under hold leadership has triumphed and will stand on its own with Beform as the Conservative wing, and Labour as the .Radical wing. It appears that Sir Joseph Ward will lead the now Parliament:, and there is not likely to he any unholy alliance between Beform and Labour to turn the Government-to-be out. If there is, then as a result of the inevitable impasse there must he another general election, and in that struggle the Liberals would secure the verdict airain with a very handsome inability. Parliament now in session will solve these problems before rising, hut if appears certain that the Liberals have the opportunity to “come hack ’ and lie welcomed with great fervour from one end

of New Zealand to the other. Sir Jo-

soph Ward has an outstanding record as a statesman, lie has proved- his ability to govern wisely and well in the past. The Statute Book of New Zcaaiicl contains many helplul measures by him which account for the national greatness ol New Zealand to-day. It is signilieant that tlioiigli the opponents of the Goveriuent in those days, opposed the bills at all stages, yet when they came subsequently to power did not repeal a single measure. Jt is worthy of recall, too, that when the nation needed ins help most, Sir Josepli Ward with other Liberals, joined the National Government, and it was due to the wise administration of the linnnres of the country that when the National Government ended its term, Sir Joseph, as Treasurer, left a nice little nest egg to assist the country in useful government. It is another story of course what use the successors made oi the surplus funds which were accumulated; hut the fact remains that over and over again there has been proof of Sir Joseph Ward s financial ability and it is because of that outstanding ability he is being welcomed to-day as the probable leader of the new government, which will Lake up the Liberal policy where before it bad to be pul down lor temporary suspension.