FAILED IN ITS PURPOSE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14293, 2 March 1912, Page 9

FAILED IN ITS PURPOSE.

CLOSING SCENES.

(STECIAL TO "THE .BESS"). WELLINGTON, March 1. Tho special session of Parliament has only partially served its purpose, it has endorsed tho mandate of the country that tho Ward Government must resign its autocratic administration of tho national business, but it has failed to carry into effect the determination of the country that the Reform Party should succeed it upon |the Treasury benches. The Liberal Party has succeeded in maintaining itself by the assistance of members whoj havo deliberately broken their pledges to their electors, and again with tho aid of these men defeated the j endeavour of tho Opposition to eject iho Ward Ad-, ministration, as it is now constituted, before members returned to their homes. Nearly four months will elapso before Parliament reassembles, and in the interval a new Ministry is to assume control of tho business of tho Dominion without any endorsement by Parliament of its composition or of its policy. J Tho session clearly defined tho relations of tho two political parties. The Reform Party stands consolidated and loyal to a man, and its| leader is capable of resisting any proposal that does not appeal to it, and with a power of criticism that must be most effective. The Liberal Party is jubilant at the idea that it has a majority of two, that will be increased to three upon tho return of the member for Hutt, but its strength will be its own betrayal ; it is absolutely at the mercy of the Labour Party and the Independent section, which profess no allegianco to either party. Thero are only thirtythree straight-out Liberals, and with them tho tour Labour members md the three Indejjendents havo now been associated in a diyision. The frailty of the alliance is apparent. The session extended over fifteen days, tho number of days in which tho House sat being nine. Tho hours in which ?t was in session totalled 53 hours 52 minutes, an average of nearly 6 hours' por day. Tho last day of the session lasted 9 hours 27 minutes.>