WHY?

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 27 November 1913, Page 4

WHY?

Why is His Majesty's Opposition go terribly afraid ol" the repeal of the Second Ballot Act and a- return to tbo system that operates in the United Kingdum and that operated in New Zealand during the long period when the lato Mr Seddon occupied the "treasury benches ? What is wrong with a system that permitted the so-called "Liberals" to hold office for nearly twenty'yea is? Are wo to assume that the Advances to Settlers Act, the Old Age Pensions Act, the Licensing Act, the Female Franchise Act, and the dozen-and-one other measures which the ''Liberals" proudly refer to as progressive and humanitarian, were placed on the Statute Bodk by a minority of the people, and, in consequence, do not represent the true sentiments of the Democracy? What elf* can wo assume if we regard the present attitude of the Opposition in any other light than that of rank hypocrisy P N 'Surely—surely Sir Joseph Ward does not ask us to repudiate all that was done under the Seddonian regime, because it did not represent the will of the majority! If any party Bhould protest against a return to.the old system, it most certainly should not be the Opposition. It was not until that system was abandoned that the Continuous Ministry was sent about its business. Why should the Opposition object to return to a system which enabled it to hold office for twe.nty years?