The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 10, 1911.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3265, 10 July 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 10, 1911.

Policy of the Reform Party.

With the advent of the defined policy of the Reform party, greater interest may be expected to acciue in connection, with the political campaign. The Opposition has, we think, gained an advantage in thus early placing before the electors the policy upon which it bases its claim to their confidence. When the legislative and administrative proposals of the Government will be announced it is difficult to foretell. It is, we should say, almost certain that unless they were decided upon before the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General left for Heme the electors will be kept waiting in this regard for another seven or eight weeks. No one, therefore, will envy the remaining members of the Ministry, togetner with the rank and file of the Liberal party, in respect of the position in which they will in the meantime find themselves placed. Unable to taunt the Opposition with having no policy to lay before the electors, they will, on their part, be still worse off in that they will bo unable to enlighten the electors as to the intentions of the Government. Why,, even within the past few days, several representatives of the Government party were sparing no- pains to make their constituents believe that it was not possible for the Opposition to formulate a policy which would he acceptable to the people. This is what the holder of- a Government seat in Canterbury had to sav on the point: “The Opposition, policy,” he declared, “was a thing of shreds and patches proposing mostly to alter of amend existing legislation.” A cursory glance at the proposals in the platform which has just been issued ora behalf of the Reform party will, we feel, he sufficient to disabuse tbo minds of the electors on this matter. Thus it wall be the case that for some weeks to come the policy of the Opposition will Re the only policy before the country. Will that not then be a strong tactical' advantage ? Whilst supporters of the Opposition will doubtless make the most: of all possible occasions upon which to expound their policy, Ministerialists will be found indulging in what they have'long been decrying as a fault on the part of their detractors, viz., destructive, instead of constructive criticism. Of course, when the followers of the-party in power get tired of attacking Mr: Massey and Co., they may be expected to fall back as usual upon a recital of the more popular achievements which have been witnessed under the Liberal regime. Here again we take it- the advantage will be chiefly on the side of. the Reform party. The question is not so much one of what has taken place in the past as what is most necessary as regards the future. On the one hand the Opposition will be able to point to the platform which they have framed ; on the other the upholders of the Liberal banner will he found to be mure or less non-committal. As to the various planks in the Opposition platform, another opportunity will have to be availed of to review them. It will Ire seen that the matters dealt with are all of striking importance. Finance, Land, Native Lands, Legislative Council, Civil Service, Local Government and industrial, and social legislation all ceme within its scope. In the matter of the aim and object of each of the planks there can be no doubt a great measure of support will be forthcoming. ' The details of some of the proposals, especially these relating to the land question, afford room for much controversy even on the part of those wlio are agreed 1 upon the principle involved.