The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1928. THE IMPRESSION.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13 , 1928. THE IMPRESSION.

It i- perhaps not remarkable that the Ward .Ministry has made a good im|.cession on the count r.. and even in l.he 1 louse which was faced on Tuesday. Il has las n designated a ’‘strong'' .Miiiistiy ii\ some of i lie newspapers, while the man in the street views it, with a good deal ol tolerant lavoiir. The LyUeiLon Times, the doyen of lint Liberal press in this country, said a briei survey indicates the unusual strength oi Sir Joseph Ward’s {’abinel. even though its members have been drawn from a party constituting only a minority ol flic .House. It was expected that one or more ol the Independents iinghl have been named, and they arc indi vdtially well tilted for office, hut. apparently, they j ire lei red to remain free Irom nf'ieial tics. Ihe new team may be criticised, in di tail, hut it will undoubtedly inspire confidence throughout, the lountry, and the public, we arc sure, will agree Lind. ~ir Joseph Ward has done his work wonderfully well. Sir Joseph opened hi i leadership in the lions.- wills <|Uk‘l col,liil-nec, mid lias evidently a firmer gr'p on the situation than mosL lolk tire prone (o t!1111 1; . I lie <uily serious criticism which Mr Coates, as Leader ci the Opposition, was moved to inane was t hat the .Ministry had only four farming representatives. O! toursc the

luiiii .Ministry was considered am! dubbed (he farmers’ ,v*‘> i! js remarkable tliaf with its 'Tanning'’ strength and reputation. i! tailed to produce an adequate iaml policy and that fact comrdiuled in no small measure to the sudden undoing; ol the (•nates .Ministry, Kven il there are I < 1 11 lour farmers in the' Ministry it is one third of the whole- they are four very capable retires mtatives. ol high e \periencr.. and eager to produce an effective 1 land policy. The whole trend of the Lderal policy which broughi Xew Zcaand to the forciront irotn ISP] un. was its cardinal lectures a Heel in;.!; the assistance given to place people on the land tun! help them lint;nriaiy So far as the present Ministry is concerned, we regard it in reference in farming: interests and progressive arts under that heading. as an outstanding Cabinet which will make pond if with a little patient consideration i; has time to formulate its policy Then, in regard to (lie 'ill important matter of nn-empl ,yment. Sir .Joseph Ward is giving this matter the special consideration it should have. He has put it in the forefront, and the Prime Minister will make a statement on the subject in the House today. ft is clear he will he svmpathetic—another trail of the Liberal policy to the interests of the labouring classes. Labour ns a political force made its great mistake when it severed its connection with the Liberal party.

Along sane lines it could have made

tlit' greatest advance if it had elected to avoid extremes nml work baud in liaiitl with a party uliu.su whole policy wa- designed tor the masses ami not for the classes. Labour now as a political force is very socialistic. and m that extreme attitude excludes a greai deal of sympathy. We see, at Home, how. the extreme wings of the party are being dropped, and if like action is followed in Xcw Zealand, the greatest

geod tor the greafe.-L num er would operate the quicker. To-day the Ward .Ministry wdl he getting into its stride, it does not ntijcur likely that the session will go beyond this week, in which event, it appears most likely that Parliament v. ill then adjourn till .June, and in the interim tin* administration ol t lie country will proceed normally, By tile time Parliament meets to dial with policy mea-ains, .Ministers will have become accustomed to their duties and the details of their depai tmenhs. and it nmy lie expeeted that so eapahle ;i team will do c\'ery credit to their selection. Sir Joseph has i boxen well and wisely and his Ministry will now lie out to justify itself.