LIBERALISM

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1919, Page 3

LIBERALISM

Its Aspirations and Achievements (Published by Arrangement). (No. 3.) SECOND PHASE.-SEDDON. Mr. Ballance died just as he bad got good hold of the great work offered him. Mr. Seddon succeeded him, and carried the work on for thirteen years. They were years of tremendous industry and persistent energy. Though .the Prime Minister, who threw himself into the work with characteristic zeal, was 1 a man of exceptionally robust constitution, the demands of the work upon him ultimately shortened his , life. Among the great Liberal measures of this period a foremost place belongs to OLD AGE PENSIONS. Of course, the Conservatives of those days—lineal ancestors of the Masseyites— (for did not Mr. Massey himself at first oppose the Old Age" Pensions Bill?)—denounced the whole project. It would sap independence and undermine self-respect; it was an insulting otter of charity; it was a pauper's dole; it was an unprincipled bribe; and of course it must mean in the long run ruin to the groaning taxpayer. But the Liberal Government stood by its Bill, and at long last the Government won. And to-day there is not a creature in the Dominion that does not, alter live and twenty years, applaud the measure, many times amended and improved. "Government by the people, for the people" has been completely justified. THE GREAT BANK CRISIS. In 1894 the country was witnin easy distance of a great' financial disaster. The Bank of New Zealand wa3 m distress. It was officially announced that the great institution was about to founder. It was plain that thousands wouia go down in the wreck. It was probable that the disaster would involve the nation. The Liberal Government met the crisis with rare courage and wise promptitude. With the. permission of Parliament, asked and accorded at a moment's notice. jit propped the imperilled ihstitution ! with the credit of the State. The Bank, | restored to financial stability, Tesnmed | its career with a success which to-day— I a quarter of a century after that dreadjful niijltt of 1894—is applauded in even* I country. I Once more did "government for the people by the people" justify itself by th" iinanr'lnl ability, the courage and the ! political wisdom that the Liberal states- j men displayed at this terrible crisis in the country's fortunes. SETTLEMENT AND LAND. The Liberal Government having >uranged for the settlement of the lands, turned its attention to helping settlement to make good. During the thir ; teen-year period of Mr. Seddon's Min- ] istry it produced a large crop of mea- ] sures, all devised for the substantial encouragement of the great producing inIterests Ruder tbe-e Acts many milj lions of public money have been'spent, and no one now doubts the wisdom of the expenditure which, moreover, has involved no bonus of any kind. Here is another proof, not only of the statesmanship of democratic' Liberalism, l.iv of its capacity in practical affairs. And it must never be forgotten that these experiments were all new departures in i '■'lrch Liberal Democracy took the ini-' tiative in spite of intense and bitter opposition, and made it way triumphantly to its goal. First ami foremost among the mnnvj benefits provided by Liberalism for the fanners and workers engaged .in our | primary industries was the establish- j n-eiif of the [ V-isirtment of Auricultitre. The men t industry, the wool industry, | the dairv industry, the orchard industry. I the poultrv hidnsfrv, the bee-keeping in- I dnstry~all iliese feel the benefit of the gnidar.ee a-id assistance- that thev re-' eeiv, from the department in every phase of their activities and at ever'v I slop of their productive life. Here, again, "government by the people for the neoule" has justified itself, thanks to the wise forethought and practical energy of Liberalism. MOTHER AND CHILD. Another series of democratic measures dev ; scd and carried into effect by Mr. Seddon -and his colleagues may be'termed, the Maternity group. It is to the abiding honor of the great leaders of Liberalism in this country that thev pointed the way for the' rest of the | world towards some effective provision i for the comfort and safety and health of toiling and suffering mothers and stunted and weakly boys and sirls. Once it had realised this duty the Liberal Government twenty-five vears ago set its, hand to the good work; and our Statute Book contains many a measure that as proof of the philanthropic sympathy of Liberalism for suffering humanity'will stand the test of lime. Maternity hospitals, wll-frained rnidwives, p'htnkef. | nurses—all with a fine record oi welldirected and successful work—these ! were among the achievements of Liber- j alism in its palmy days.

INDUSTRIAL STRIFE ALLAYED. j. Kow let us turn to another phase of constrictive statesmanship as interpreted by liberalism—its attempt to redress industrial grievances, and as far as possible, to remove the opportunities for ™.ustrial strife. '.! V Arbitration and Conciliation system was first; h et up under peculiarly difficult circumstances. A vast Labor upheaval had brought all Aew Zealand to a standstill before the general election which returned the Liberals to power. Thai; upheaval had emphasised the futility of the various methods of dealing with industrial troubles. Tito Liberal Government lost no I nne in devisinc its remedy for this appalling and hopeless situation. When it came (o Parliament for the application of its remedy, however, it was met by a storm of opposition from evr-rv quarter. Tint j n the end it triumphed, and (he now system speedilv instil'...! the faith of its founders. It 'is folly m say that the Arbitration Act has failed because it did not entirely prevent u, euro industrial unrest, But it eractieaied sweating: it, gave the mass of the peoplo shorter hours and higher wages and boiler conditions of work'; and it promoted the general welfare bv making lor industrial peace. THE SEAMEN'S SHARE. Not content with its guardian care of workers in the factories and the fields. Liberalism soon turned its attention to the duty of militating the hardships that befall "those who go down to the sea in ships." The Act was not perfect; but, the sailor to-day tinder New Zealand regulations is infinitely better off than he was before Liberalism began its labors, and he has his political franchise secure. All this he owes to democratic Liberalism. (To be continued).