NATIONAL CABINET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 2733, 31 July 1915, Page 2

NATIONAL CABINET.

THE COMING CONFERENCE.

NOT REGARDED WITH ENTHUSIASM.

REFORM PARTY'S INTERNAL TROUBLES.

(From Our Wellington Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, July 30

Apparently there can be no further development in connection with the National Government proposal until the further conference suggested by his JExoellency th» Governor has been held —probably on Monday. The Conferene does not seem at all likely to produce any change in the attitude taken up by tho two parties, and ono gathers that the party leaders do not look forward with any enthusiasm to the ro-opening of a difficult subject that they had regarded as closed, but the suggestion made by Lord Liverpool could not bo disregarded.

It is understood that at least six men will attend tho conference—three from each side, and that the Governor himself will preside. The proceedings will bo entirely informal and non-com-mittal, and naturally they will be entirely confidential.

The impression in political circles is that those new negotiations will not be protracted. The Prime Minister and tho Leader of the Opposition have stated their minds fully already, and the rank and file of tho party are anxious lor a quick and final settlement one wav or the other. ...

If this last effort to bring a ''National Cabinet" into existence fails, as it appears almost certain to do, the Government will bo faced with a situation of exceeding difficulty.

The Opposition will renew its offer to assist the Ministry in all matters connected with the war, and the course of 1 business up to the present stage of : the Parliamentary session is an assur- ' anc© that the offer is not an Gmpty one. The Ministers have had every, • possible facility in passing their war I bills, and they/have been, spared a vast amount of criticism that they , would have been required to face under ; normal conditions. j But the Government's difficulties are intornal rather than external. The members of the Reform Party in the Houso want a re-arrangement of portI folios, and may insist upon having it. Even that point is ovorshadowed by the pressing needs of tho Finance Department, which has. got to find additional revonuo to the tune of something like £1,000,000 sterling. There has got to bo new taxation on a large scale, and a government with a j majority of one vote, and representing ja party that includes widely diverse j interests, has to devise a taxation Bill '■ to fit the case.. It would be a miracle i under the circumstances if the Bill i suited every member of the Govorn- | ment Party, and the un--1 dertaking with respect to War Bills docs not apply to such a question of domestic concern and principle as the incidence of taxation. What will the country members say to an increased land tax, or the city members to' duties on-articles of common use?