A new Prime Minister

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33628, 2 September 1974, Page 12

A new Prime Minister

Mr Kirk’s return to hospital last Wednesday added to the uncertainty about the deputy leadership of the Government and the Labour Party. His tragic death has turned speculation into a most serious debate which must end with the choice by the party caucus not of a new deputy leader, but of a Prime Minister and the man to lead the Labour Party through economic difficulties to a General Election a little over a year away. As Mr Kirk’s deputy, Mr Watt holds office until the sad obsequies are complete. He has said that he is a contender for permanent office as party leader, but neither he nor his colleagues would expect him to be confirmed without a challenge. When the Labour Party last faced a similar situation—on the death of Michael Savage in March, 1940—deep divisions had already become apparent; they culminated within a week in the party conference’s expulsion of John A. Lee. Divisions now in the caucus are less obvious; they are still real enough. Yet the Government’s opponents should hesitate before welcoming the prospect of uncertain leadership while the country is facing serious economic and industrial difficulties.

The performance of various Ministers in dealing with these difficulties so far must influence the outcome. Mr Watt is handicapped by his indifferent performance as Minister of Labour, the only portfolio he continued to hold after the Cabinet changes last week. Mr Freer, officially the number three man in the Cabinet, has emerged as Minister of Trade and Industry who is bent on controlling the economy in the pursuit of stability, but whose attempts to do so have had limited success. For all that, in economic matters he has appeared to overshadow the Minister of Finance (Mr Rowling), and Mr Rowling may thus have escaped some of the opprobrium which the state of the economy might otherwise have brought on him. As a former president of the party and one of the architects of electoral success in 1972, Mr Rowling has a considerable personal following among ordinary party members. He has, too, the advantage of being the only South Islander among the most senior Ministers in a Cabinet which is sorely aware of the dominance of Aucklanders in its ranks. The Minister of Justice (Dr Finlay), regarded by many as the most able member of the Cabinet and the man who most closely approaches Mr Kirk in the variety of his abilities and the strength of his compassion, might have irrevocably alienated the strong trade union section of the party with his outspoken opposition to particular treatment for unions in the courts.

The new Prime Minister, will, almost certainly, be one of these four It is just possible that to avoid an embarrassing conflict the caucus might decide to settle on a compromise candidate. The Minister of Defence (Mr Faulkner) is at the head of a group of relatively senior Ministers who have shown ability in less demanding portfolios. It seems uncharitable to speculate on the succession so soon after Mr Kirk’s death But the countrv must be sure, as soon as possible, who is to be Prime Minister.