POLITICAL NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 9178, 29 June 1915, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(From Our Parliamentary Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, June 38. Mr Henare and the State of Parties. The much discussed question of tko party allegiance of the member for the Northern Maori District may be remembered. It was answered by a, list of members present at a caucus of the Reform Party in the': House of Representatives to-day. Mr Tau Henare attended the 1 cauciis> and presumably took . part in its deliboi-atioris/ His action attaches him definitely to the Reform Party, and tho strength of the parties, with Mr Lang in the chair, stands now as follows:—Government 40, Opposition 39. The lead of one vote would not bring comfort to the Ministry under ordinary circuinstancefi, but there is a-feeling in the lobbies that the dimension of the Government's majority, once that majority is established, is not quite so vital a consideration as it appeared to bo a week or two ago at least. As far as the present session is concerned, the proceedings in the House of Representatives on Thursday aoid Friday showed that tho parties are facing the work of the session in a conciliatory spirit, and the chance of a controversy arising with regard to war Bills—the sole serious work of the session—has been reduced to a. minimum by the : proposal of the Government to refer them to the Defence Committee. The New Defence Committee. A question has been raised regarding the possible effect of the work of tho Defence Committee as far as debates in the House are concerned. The Government, it is understood, intends to introduce its war Bills in the ordinary way, and have them referred at once to the committee. Tha.t body will consider them in camera. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence will be members, and will place before the other members, including the leader^ of the Opposition and some of his chief followers, such confidential information that, under ordinary circumstances, would not pass out of the Cabinet room. The committee will have power to call for persons and papors, and to amend Bills brougin before _it, though it has to bo remem- I bered in this connection that the Gov- ] eminent members will always have an j advantage in voting strength. When the Bills are amended or otherwise returned to the House, they will be subject to discussion in the ustial way, and the Opposition will, not have its right of criticism restricted at any point. The decision of the. committee, may represent simply the majority vote, and will not be binding on any section of the members. " I

That will bo the position in a constitutional sense, but as a matter of practice, the House is not likely to forget that members of the committee have had access to special sources of 5 information, including possibly tho } confidential instructions and suggestions of the Imperial authorities. The rank and file of the Opposition would not be in the least likely to disregard a definite lead from their representatives on the coniniittoo under' tlieso circumstances.