August, 191. 



History of the Month. 



The Mackenzie Go\ei"n[nfiit had a 

 Ne* -liort run for its money. As soon 



Zealand. ^^ Parliament met. a census motion 



was successfuliv carried against it. 

 Mr. Massey has formed a Government, which may 

 not be any morr- stable than the last. Mr. Massey 

 must wonder what strange mood the fates must be 

 in to have at last put him on the Treasury benches. 

 The Liberal Party has been for so long in power 

 (20 years), that it must have seemed to him as 

 though the tide would never turn. Yet, after years 

 of waiting, his turn has come. But it is unlikeiv 

 that there will be anything stable in New Zealand 

 politics till a dissolution clears the air. There is 

 coming a change over New Zealand's political 

 thought— that is clear. But the change has come 

 slowly. Possibly, it may be, more surelv. 

 Its existence lias been abundantly signified 

 of late, but it will take an election to 

 determine what the political weather is go- 

 ing to be in the future. From one point of \ie\v 

 the .sooner it comes the better. Mr. Massey has 

 announced his Cabinet as follows : — Mr. Massey. 

 Prime Miniver, and Minister for Lands and Agricul- 

 ture ; .Mr. J. .\llen, Minister for Finance, Defence 

 and Education; Mr. Herries, Minister for Railways 

 and Native .Affairs : Mr. Herdman, Attorney-Gene- 

 ral and Minister for Justice ; Mr. W. Eraser, 

 Minister for Public Works and Mines; Mr. Fisher, 

 Minister for Customs and Marine ; Mr. R. H. 

 Rhodes. Pastmaster-General ; Mr. H. D. Hall, 

 K.C.. Leader of the Legislative Council, and Minis- 

 ter for Internal .Affairs; Dr. Pomare. Minister Re- 

 presenting the .Vative Race. 



Just at this juncture in New Zea- 

 A Storm |.,nd affairs, a rather significant 



I'ortent. (|,ing j^g^ happened. The Temper- 



ance Party in Convention assembled 

 decided ID pu.sh for an amendment of the law, to do 

 away with the antiquated and iniquitous three-fifths 

 majority, and to s/-ek the reasonable, the democratic 

 princi[)l«' that prevails in all other features of 

 n.-itional life — the simple majority. So they waited 

 on Mr. Mackenzir, whase short reign has just ended. 

 But Mr. Mackeii/ie was not in favour of the prin- 

 ciple, and seme plain speaking was indulged in by 

 the deputation. It made very clear to the Minister 

 that, .nlthough the Temperance Party is not a 

 political party, it is determined to secure this rea- 

 sonable reform, and will give its support only to 

 candidates for P.irl lament wtio will be prepared to 

 stand for it. It was put very .straightiy and un- 

 equivcxally by a prominent member of the conven- 

 tion : — 



'I'hpy rpprosoiitfxl no party, but the gradual tron.1 

 of thought fin the rankn of ti-mperanr.4') was that 

 unUvN the existing partion mot the desires of tlie 

 .Alliiinrc, it wntiM lii> neecKs.iry t<) form an entirnly 

 'listinet party, imd •.acrifico thi! exi»tint; |).-irtie«. It 

 li.id Im'. ti Hiid t'lat lliH anti-1i(iuor agitation vTa< a 



Ui-sturbiiij; iadiK-uee in politics. This was true, and 

 the disturbance would continue until . . . tbo 

 Temperance Party received tlie meed of justice it was 

 asking for — an eijual value for every vote. 



This b good, healthy talk. It is no use playing with 

 this thing. And the Temperance Party means 

 business. Moreover, it rejiresents a large majority 

 of the Dominion's voters. The following resolu- 

 tion, which was carried unanimously by the Conven- 

 tion, is the firing of the tir.st gun in a movement 

 which is going to effect national politics in New 

 Zealand : — 



That No-License Leagues be requested to take steps 

 to secure at least 1000 voters in each electorate to 

 pledge tliemselvcs, regardless of party, not to vote for 

 any Parliamentary candidate who will not pledge 

 himself to support a measure to reduce the three- 

 liftli.s majority rcHiuiriKl to carry No-License and 

 Diiminion Prohibition. 



The Temperance Party has been 

 The First humbugged over this long enough. 

 *'""• But now it has its teeth shut, in 



a determination to see the thing 

 through. Immediately a campaign is to be insti- 

 tuted in all parts of the Dominion, to carry 

 the determination into effect. This is bound 

 to affect general jiolitics, and who can say 

 what changes will take place in the Domin- 

 ion Parliament from this new departure? In 

 connection with the same Convention, a remark- 

 able piece of corruption was disclosed. It was 

 pointed out that, at the last polls, there were 5000 

 more votes on tlie rolls than there were adults in 

 the Dominion. An electoral department that can per- 

 mit of such a state of affairs as that requires re- 

 forming absolutely. The thing is so monstrous, 

 and suggestive of roll-stuffing and corruption, that 

 it ought to be enquired into at once. Take it all 

 round, both the Liberal and Conservative Parties 

 will have to wake up if they are going to continue 

 in power. 



To the intense delight of reformers. 

 The and als<5, to their surprise, the 



TotallsatDr. Xew .South Wales Totalisator Com- 

 mission has declared by a vote of 

 6 to 4 against the Totalisator. It vLsited several 

 of the Australian States, and New Zealand, 

 and examined some 1 20 witnesses. Of these 

 90 per cent, were in favour of the Totalisator. 

 Possibly that fact played into the hands of the 

 reformers, lor there was no doubt expressed by 

 many of its advocates that the introduction of the 

 Totalisator would mean increased gambling. At 

 any rale, the Commission has decided against it, 

 declining to support if iKvau.se of its fatal facility 

 for drawing to it gamhU-rs of everv ag« and class. 

 A good many pedjile have pn.-judged the Commis- 

 sion. We confess that we were among the 

 number. From its personnel, and from the w.iy in 

 which many of the witne.sses who were against the 

 Totalis.nfor wcp- v^^'v---]. it was U'li.-vf-il thul ihi- 



