The Daily News. MONDAY, JANUARY 4. THE GAME OF POLITICS-WHO HAS THE JOKER?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7994, 4 December 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, JANUARY 4. THE GAME OF POLITICS-WHO HAS THE JOKER?

The air i.< sultry with politics, and tlio air is murky with the smoke of the conflict and the shouting «{lliecapU a The latter arc chiefly engaged s'an .'n, each other ami 8 rting vehemently tlm'he other f-'oar a bit* r The other tetlow replies " vwii're alio her."!sTho [)lo:i#h lies i He in the 1 i.-vow, ami the milch com .strained villi waiting. Sow ZHai . .as had it linned into her car that p;),,,ics is She one thing while. There arc more polities to the square inch in Xow Zeal-ied than in any other British possession—and yet wo thrive! I* the present conflict the champions run a handicap race—the Premier carrying no penalty. The Parliament is dead, but not the Executive, or as Mr Seddon explicitly calls it—" my Government." The Opposition Press tears its hair because the Premier promises things and tells the world, per newspaper and per speech, what the Government intend to do and what the Government has done. It is regrettable that either the Opposition Leader or the Government ditto should so frequentlyhave to expiiiu—(l) the benefits obtained from the Government; and (2) the saving of the country from the wiles of the serpent of the Opposition.

* * ♦ * So much are politics made a business of in this otherwise happy country that the merest trifle is seized upon by either faction to discredit its rival. We have 110 guarantee from (tie Opposition that should it breast the tape after a 1 Wears' break-neck race, that it would curtail the present heavy expeiro of Government, the privileges of members or the " rush for the spoil"' system of doing business. Members who have deprecated the " bribing of electorates " h.ivc themselves owned to being there or thereabouts when the people's cash was being distributed. Indeed, us New Zealand is at present situated, statemanship is not so necessary a quality in a politic.™ as is ability as a local agent—a persistent reaclier-out for pelf. It is to be regretted that polities are chiefly parochial, and that all allegation to the contrary notwithstanding, thej average member sees but very little distance beyond the bound ry peg of his own electorate.

• • * * It is evident in Mr Seildon's ma:;!?, t'aat he believe.-* lie ottwhiijc ...• old Adam, and il is of "nurse thi* I'rem cr's t'usifl<lt*ncf* in his abilities ami his mode of inspiring people with a ■ consciousnoss of these same qrcal auik- | ties t h it have kept him in power during a Ion,", and, on the whole, successful period. We incline to the belief tint to the lieni'lirience of Nature, a Government of Kanakas lrould hare found it hard to ruin this lovclj|coiintryJduring its period of (prosperity, and when it l*>s»e.«sf.» a Government th it certiinly has smeil every opportunity to girc the people <,'ood villi" f>r the money. it is not to lie womlwl at that Ihe rijl.my his Ww.« w Is~t i! e Government is s:il! in power-awl is likely, with M ine Wvakeiiinii —!o b' l . The lu-iitiial Government is so firmly p'aated that its trumpet-iike quality has inspired its niiiiier.eu -U'traet ir> wilh eri-p-J lov.n tlie back. r » j

* * # # Wblmkotox hail the rather quaint experience (lie other day of hearing an Jilt an;l out Oppositionist d l -l'!nr-t- hj? wouldn't vote on a no-confidence motioii a;ainst tkc Government! We are not iva-iting :,tm to vote no-conlidcnce. We but mention the incident a, a proof that polities are a mighty gime in which personal ends Jigure more ;nr,'e!y than they should. Violent speeches are made oy men who deprecate the wantoning of Ministerial personal expendit are. "Who are the judges of the justice of such expenditure? Members of I'.irlia nent or people.* As if the people don't ri.se in their wrath and smite the Mini.<lers in power What is the conclusion ? Simply, of eonr.se, !lmt the people either don't believe the violent speech-makers or that the people think it is a fair thing. It is so obvious o;i a perusal of Mr Soddon's great manifesto Hint he and not the Cabimt is (lit- Government, lmt a< the expense „f the instilu<ion seems unnecessarily large one really wonders way a goodly numher of gentlemen should he paiil salaries up to, say, Cli'iV) a year when Mr Sedilon has vigor and genius enough to cope with the whole job lone-handed. And this being so, why should ho not el lim credit lor a rather decent reeoril in the way of founding Xurses iroiii:\s t,i triin nurses, Old Age l'en. ions, Workmen's Hones, Arbitration Acts, Ac., &c.:- So jther Government previous to the p-esent one did such large things, -.villi the people's money. * * * *

Br? it shall lie remembered tint oih-r Governments had large idea, and little -l'h. Many of those ideas are to-d,y successfully used and applied, bee jus,, "f the boldness of the Premier and his - f-Mrlcssless m dealing w:! Ii public (piesI He is tub,•admired because lie has been surrounded with opportunities a thousand deep—and because he has •?.-.>sped them boldly. If it j, ; (o lxrro.v m niey the Innlis 0 r this '•■lantry my other country are sinners of large calibre. If your iunk squanders » • ! • d 'posits, however, you get \uiii t lie Ij « nk. ;tn 1 y.>u dcposil vour n-'xt Ciisli risi-. If, ;herefore, the ~; , ,p1,' of Zealand are satisfied with the w> ,1 of words indicting the Govern men. as » sqnaiv■icivr in-,' ;I| Ml ill the face for fourteen year,;. For it is poor logic to reason th at nil •he pciplc r.f .\'e-. / aI uid arc fools i: >' l cap dde a, a whole of judginy "''""•""i *'T'lH.y Willi any political dcrvidi who I. out after a ' re ir and trimming;. 'J lie people will J it m\\L WolntViity if thoy l 'l'litik tin",- aiv l>!'ini; piMmM. li'tlu-}' ' '! m'l no.v. who shall I' ll them? 1

staplo industries of tho province, we intend, from our new point of vantage, to consistently and persistently use our influence for their betterment, and the advance of Taranaki. So surely as the province develops, as surely will New Plymouth prosper in sympathy with it. lii the broad field of colonial polities, we take our stand 'ir Hie side of Liberalism, uiitrimmelf by political associations. Wo ac- <■ rpt tlit! 'records iof the past aa we ■ind them. Our energies will bo directed along those channels of pure 1 Liberalism that will ensure progress, development and prosperity. The scojie of a newspaper's usefulness is only liniitol'by the patronage accorded by the public. By a judicious blending of usefulness and attractiveness, we hope to publish, the Nrwa in a manner that shall command widespread support, a naturil sequence, the confidence of .advertisers.