The Daily News. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28. NEW SOUTH WALES POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 171, 28 October 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28. NEW SOUTH WALES POLITICS.

The political situation in the Mother State of the Commonwealth is naturally of great interest throughout Australasia,, not only because Labor is the stronger force in the New South Wales House, by the very narrow margin of two, but because the results cannot be definitely shown to be the feelings of the majority of the electors of New South Wales. In a great State like New South Wales, where a large number of electors are scattered thinly in remote districts, the difficulties of taking a poll are enormous, and it seems that even where the best facilities are offered to the people they do not take advantage of them. It has been shown that the percentage of votes recorded was only 67, and except it were possible to force every person having the right to vote to exercise it, there seems to be no way of meeting the case. The new Labor Ministry is probably as capable a one as could be selected from any political party in the State, even if one sinks the party standpoint and accepts the men on their personal qualifications. While the House has a very narrow margin, the Council, which is not elective, is naturally a strong opposition, so that on the whole the position of the Labor Government must rest oa the fighting power of their party and the statesmanship of their acts. It is on the cards that Premier McGowen will shortly introduce a Bill for the abolition of the Council. From the point of view of the new Government, it depends upon the "good behaviour" of the nominated Council whether the Premier appeals to the State to be guided in its retention or abolition. The success of such an attempt would furnish the best of precedents, not only for further State abolitions of upper chambers, but would immensely strengthen Labor's hands in the domination of Federal and State politics generally. It is likely enough that even if Australians generally are apathetic in the matter of voting, they would welcome some diminution of the excessive political machinery, even if on the mere score of expense. Australia is a country of remarkable political changes, and it is particularly difficult to guage the mind of the people by any election or a short series of them. An enormous majority of New South Wales electors at the Federal elections voted for Labor, so that it is evident there has been a distinct fallingoff in the State Labor vote which leaves Mr. McGowen with so tiny a margin—a margin that really gives his Ministry no dominancy considering the forces of the nominated Council. An appeal to the country in the near future might easily j turn the tables, for Mr. Wade is a strong, adept and skilled politicians, clever enough in party warfare in a country which has made politics more of a business for the holder of a portfolio or a seat than far the good of a State or the Commonwealth. The choosing of a 'Ministry by a party caucus may appeal to many people as a ruggedly honest proceeding, characteristic of a section of politicians whose promises are in the direction 6f unselfish administration and love of the people, but this variation of ■ ancient precedent is more rigidly "party" than it appears. In selection by such a method it is of course impossible to look for a man outside the sacred precincts of the Party, and it is a definite decision that political creed and not individual capacity is the only door to highly-paid place and power. Whether this choosing of rulers by machinery is good for State or Commonwealth has yet to be proved, but the fact that all those chosen must necessarily be guided by the crack of the party whip is not entirely democratic. Perhaps Australia in instituting selection by caucus set a precedent that will be generally followed, and as long as the people accept the principle that profound faith in a given set of rules, quite apart from personal beliefs, is the only thing necessary in a statesman, the system is safe. In the case of Mr. McGowen, he, as a chosen cog in the machinery, must revolve to order. His initiative is destroyed. It is possible that Mr. McGowen may be in entire agreement with everything the machine may order, for it is said of him that, although lie had been offered a place in the Liberal Ministry he had never accepted it because his principles would not permit it. Under system he will not lead the i Ministry, but he and the Ministry .will be led bv the party. The Attoniey-G.cn--1 eral, Mr. Holman, is said to be a brilliant lawyer and wholly wrapped up in his duties to the party. He will be Minister of Justice, if the caucus can concede him the right of administration "on his own." Mr. Edden, Minister for Minos, has been a miner liimself, and under the direction of the caucus he will probably satisfy the party generally. Mr. D. McDonnell, Minister for Agriculture, was in the early stages of his career a shearer in New Zealand, so that, guided by the caucus, he should be a distinct success. Mr. Neil Neilsen, Minister of Lands, has made a life study of the land, although he has not worked on it. If he follows out the land policy of the caucus there should be no internal dissention on his account. The important fortfolios of Education and Labor have been given to Mr. Beebv, barrister. If he accepts without antagonism the instructions of the caucus his j acknowledged gifts will stand the party in good stead. It may be that even if Mr. McGowen had been called upon to choose his Ministry without the aid of the caucus he- would have chose"n the same men, for Unquestionably they represent the cream of the party, but ive take the liberty of believing that selection by machinery is not democratic even though the macMne is a Labor machine, and that there is trouble in store for this method in the days to be.

AN APOLOGETIC SENTENCE. The man who pilfers from a store oi goods of which he is one of the guardians. morally commits a misdemeanoi greater than the man who breaks into and enters a private dwelling and steals from it. In the case of breaking and entering he takes personal risks. Irt the case of pilfering irom stores he is supposed to guard, he commits a crime of the meanest kind. If the man who steals from stores entrusted to the Railway Department is a servant of the public, and is paid by the public, his offence cannot be exonerated. If he broke into a private house, the vast probability is that he would go to gaol for a period of years. In the case of three railway servants pleading guilty to theft from the Hawera Railway goods shed, the punishment meted out yesterday was fourteen days' imprisonment. It is impossible for an outsider who weighs the facts to reconcile the sentences with the crimes. The burglar who is not a public servant but whose counsel advances his client's family matters as a reason for the leniency oi the bench, usually does not escape the penalty of his misdeeds on that account. A sentence such as the one under review is a mere license to railway servants to steal the goods of the public. We sincerely believe that no such license would induce a normally honest man, whether he was absolutely sober or not quite sober, to steal eitliei from a railway shed or a private dwell- : ing; but a paltry punishment cannot! act as a real deterrent to those who are easily tempted. It is not a question of the "position" of these men, but one of the protection of the public. It , is, of course, potent that these railway servants cannot re-enter the Department, ' and this is in itself a severe punishment. But the point for the public is that the average burglar is severely dealt with, while misdemeanants of a more pernicious kind are practically let off in an almost apologetic fashion.