THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1911. THURSDAY'S ELECTIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10495, 5 December 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1911. THURSDAY'S ELECTIONS.

IThe Parliamentary elections which take place in New Zealand on Thursday next will be t'he most momentous since the day when the Conservative Continuous Ministry wa.9 relegated to political obscurity. The present AcLmiinistration lias held office for ttwenty-one years—a longer period l than an<y other Administration in. the British possession's. Towardsi the end of the career of t'he late Mi' Riichard Seddon, evidence was not wanting tliat the people were becoming uneasy, and anxious for a (Ahange. When Sir Joseph Ward assumed the reins of office about five years ago, it was hoped that the change of leader miight produce certain definite progressive results. Experience has shown, however, that Sir Jfoseph Ward, far from putting the legislative house in order, hias developed a system of patronago and a policy of extravagance which would make the mosft reckless political appeals of lik predecessor pale into insignificance. The late Mr Seddon was an opportunist, pure and simple. His successor is a financial plunger and an autocrat. He lias allowed the finances of the country to drift into a condition of chaos, and his borrowing operations have been 'on sk) gigantic a scale that people are in terror of the future. The money-taid-iaig institutions in. the Home land .have been so thoroughly scared at the borrowing proposals of Sir Jos>epli Wna-d tliat they have given a pl'ain hint *Tihia>t no more money will be available until provision is made for wiping off some of the existing indebtedness. <The failure of the five million 'loan—wlhich had to be taken up by the underwriters, and is not

yet completed—is one of the strongest -indications that the financial institutions at Home are apprehensive of the future. It is all very well to cay that the borrowed money is beirg expended l upon reproductive \\ trios, and that the assets of this Lbminion are increasing. This does not .impress the money-lender, whlo knows that the value of his security is reduced with every million of money that he lends-, and that the taxpayers can only bear a limited! burden. With the gigantic proposals he has now in view, and the methods lie adopts for placating the electorates, to say nothing of the multiplication of Government cjepartments j v.\hfldi is being prodluoed, it is l morally certain that the system of extensive borrowing wjII have to be continued. What will the end be? Where will the country get to if its borrowing continue® at the rate it has do.ue stinoe Sir Joseph Ward assumed office? 'llhese are questions j vihluih every man and woman must, face on.- Thursday next. Apart from the extravagant finance of the present Administration., it must also' be remembered tiliat it conies before the country absolutely bereft of a policy. It lias no tilling to offer the people in the way of land legislation. It has 110 proposal to make in t<he way of reforming the system of local government or the Legislative Council. It admits that the cost* of living, forced up by excessive taxation and commercial trusts, is almost unbearable; and yet it makes no rational attempt to improve the position. Irt is, in. fact, bankrupt of ideas and helplessly exhausted as a political force. How, then, can thie electors 1 , in justice to themselves, extend the term of office of such an Administration? How can tney express confideaice in. a Government wftwoli is playing fa si and loose with the finances? How, .can they return to ptower a party Ivhaehi is governed by expediency, l-ruled By an autocrat, and devoid of policy ? So far as the Mjasterton electorate iis concerned, I not .one of the three candidates in j the field; has any confidence in. Sir Joseph Ward, 'ihey all declare him .to be impossible as a leader. The people, therefore, nave to select as 'between the three which one- is most likely to be 01 service in pro-' ducing reform. Mr Hogg wants a change • but he wants it in -his own way. He wants to replace the present Government witli something >more> Radical. Oibvitously he is alhead of the times. The people are anoit dtemanding Radicalism. They want clean-, 'economical, progressive legislation. If they vote for Mr Hogg, .thej' do so with a knowledge that his reform is of a kind whiclh is unattainable. They may regard 1 him sympathetic ally, and record thenvotes in Ms- favour because they believe he ha® done good service in the past, and cannot do muoh Inarm in the future. The fact remains that every vote cast for Mr Hogg meansdelaying the time when the. extrava- , gant Ward Adimmstriation is supplanted by something better. If the pebple are genuinely desirous of a change, as we believe they are, they will waive personal considerations and vote solidly for the Reform candidates—the candidates who may be depended upon to effect definite political reforms.. It matters little wMioh of the two [Reform candidates are supported, provided that' a vote recorded in the first' (ballot fior reform lis similarly recorded in the second*. And it is here that we* would appeal to every man and woman who is solicitous. for the future of the Dominion to siitnk personal and other differ, fences. If Mr Sykes secures a place in the second ballot, it is the duty of •every person wQio voted for Mr HerIbea't to loyall'y support Mr Sykes. In the event of Mr Herbert proving the stronger of tllie two, the only course open for Mr Sykes' supporters, if they are (honest to themselves, and the Dominion, is to support Mr Herbert iii the Second ballot. By this means alone can victory be achieved. It is pleasing to mote that the election campaign has been free from pcflMSonalatties, and that each candidate has placed his position dearly 'before the electors. There is good reason (to hiope that Thursday next will see the end of the Continuous Ministry and its extravagance. And tif Masterton does its duty, as we trust sincerely that it will, the representative oi the district will be a firm opponeent to an Administration wlliich has forfeited every cMrn, to the confidence of the people. ,