THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 1913. SIR JOSEPH WARD'S RETURN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 4 August 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 1913. SIR JOSEPH WARD'S RETURN.

The return of Sir Joseph Ward will, no doubt, lend added interest to the discussions in the House of Reprc- . sentafcives during the remainder of the session. Sir Joseph was cordially welcomed at Auckland, and will be given a monster reception in Wellington to-night. The chief object of these demonstrations is to convince the member for Awarua that he alone can restore order out of the chaos into which the so-called "Liberalism" hag drifted. The remarks made by Sir Joseph at his reception in Auckland are hardly calculated to fill ardent admirers, with enthusiasm. They were, in fact, remarkable for their coolness. Sir Joseph Ward stated that he was not going to force himself upon any party or to accept favours from them. If he was g<H ing to be leader, he wanted to lead a combined party, and not one that is split up into sections. No doubt, these words will have caused a flutter in the camp at Wellington, and an attempt will be made to produce something like unanimity among the Opposition forces. If this can be assured, we have no doubt that Sir Joseph will consent to act as leader. He cannot, of course, expect to bring to his assistance such extremists as Messrs Payne, Robertson and Webb, though he imight depend upon their vote in a No-confidence motion, As we pointed out in a recent issue, it' is a very desirable thing that there should be a strong Opposition in the House. The position in New Zealand is not unlike that which obtains for the moment in the British House of Commons. A writer in the "Round Table" states that "the one thing which would brighten it is wanting—some strong personal antagonism. Fo no democracy will ever be interested in ideas alone; still less in dim ideas which have got into a great confusion. It needs men as well as policies to stir the popular interest—men even more than politics; and the: men must be opposed to one another in a dramatio conflict. They must be well matched, and put up > a- good fight. So it was in the struggle between Peel and Disraeli, between Disraeli and Gladstone, and in that heroic age when Gladstone, Randolph Churchill, Parnell, Lord Salisbury and Mr Chamberlain wera all at one ' mother'* tfatwte. British politics i

is like a pair of scissors. There must bo two blades. And not only must the blades be good and finely tempered ; not only must their edges be keen; but they must be closely set, and screwed firmly together, bo that the edges cut cleanly one against the other.". At the present time in New Zealand, as in England, this is wanting. There may be plenty of blades lying about, but there are none so sharp arid keenly set as Sir Joseph Ward, and no.ie so ready for use. For so*ne time past, the Parliament of New Zealand has been like a pair of scissors with one blade sharpened and the other dull and rusty. With Sir Joseph in his seit, there will be sharp debate, keen criticism, and a clean cutting of the political cloth. This is as it should be. The member for Awarua may be expected to assist in framing the laws of the country on sound and economic lines. He will not adopt the bouncing and blustering methods of Mr Russell, nor will he lend himself to the paltry tactics of a section of the Opposition press. The speech ho made at Auckland was in every way admirable. It was the speech of a patriotic citizen who desires to see the very best possible done for the country, no matter who is responsible for doing it. Wo shall welcome Sir Joseph Ward to the Leadership of the Opposition, because we believe that he will bring statesmanship and dignity to the office, and will represe those ebullitions of frenzy and fanaticism, which haye pf, late been introduced by some of the self-appointed leaders: of the party. Next to a strong Government, imbued with national ideals and a desire to be of service to the people, the best security the State can have for pure administration is an active and intelligent Opposition.