THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER-12, 1921. POLITICAL SCRAP HEAP.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4329, 12 October 1921, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER-12, 1921. POLITICAL SCRAP HEAP.

The divisions on the no. confidence motions before the House last week each brought periods of senseless waste of the time of Parliament to a close. It is indeed difficult to understand why such foolish and utterly results less tactics are persisted in, session after session. Neither of the factions in opposition have the ghost of a chance of putting the Government off the Treasury benches, or of securing the reins of power themselves., but the old sham-fights 'are evidently more dearly cherished than are the interests of the country. The Liberal Party, or the factions thereof, ' are just so much political scrap iron in their present condition, and the only way they are likely to become effective and cohesive is by a fusion, the more radical elements going to the Labour side, and the others to the Reform Party. There is room for two parties, and always will be, but at present there is not room in New Zealand for three. The Liberals have of late displayed an incapacity to be loyal to their own chosen leaders, and it does not seem as if there is a man among them with the necessary tenacity of purpose and unswerving loyalty to fight on for twenty years in the cold shades of opposition as did the present Prime Minister. They lack leadership, and even if a born leader should arise he would probably not feel proud of such a bedraggled and besmirched following. In the it?,dividual, the party, the nation, the one thing supreme above all others is the quality of loyalty wherever and whenever a«legiance is once given, but neither the Liberals nor the Labour men appear to be capable of closing their ranks and presenting a united front. Whatever way the election figures may be juggled to suit party purposes, the fact remains that the confidence of the country is overwhelmingly with the present Reform Party, and the wasting of several days in useless debate is not likely to raise the opposition factions in the estimation of the electors.