PRESS OPINIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1321, 27 December 1911, Page 4

PRESS OPINIONS.

THE PREMIER'S DO-NOTHING ATTITUDE. NOT FAIR TO THE COUNTRY.. The Christchureh "Press" says:—"The public have good reason to resent tho Prime Minister's action in postponing his decision in the matter and prolonging over the holiday season the present feeling of unrest. Sir Joseph Ward should know perfectly well by this time what his chances would be if he had to face a .no-confidence motion, and the further delay in making public his ' intentions can only bo attributed to the fact that ho hopes yet to bo able to secure, on some terms, the support of the Independents and the Labour members. In adopting his present know-nothing, do-nothing attitude, he is emphatically not treating the country fairly, for ho is prolonging the administration of a Government that is discredited from one end of New Zealand to the other. His action' suggests that he realises fully what must happen when ho does meet Parliament, nnd that ho is not at all willing to accept tho verdict of tho polls." "A Humorous Suggestion." ' Tho "Otago Daily Times" Eays:—"lt is common ground with all who havo analysed the election result (hat tho Ministerialists do not muster oiio-half of tho total strength of tho Uoiiso of Heprosentatives. It would,i in these circumstances, involve playing fast and looso with the Constitution it tho Governmont were to attempt to cling to ofiico for soveral mouths' before meeting Parliament. The Prime Minister has, as we have said, a choice of alternatives beforo him. One is to placo tho resignation of tho Ministry in. the' Governor's hands without having Parliament summoned at all; and if he does not adopt this plan, which should, indeed, havo been adopted already, if it is to bo adopted at all, the only other course is to meet Parliament at the earliest convenient date. And tho choice is one that should bo mado by the Prime Minister himself—if need be, after he has consulted his colleagues in tho Cabinet. Tho suggestion which has emanated from tho north that in the present crisis a caucus of the Ministerialists is to be called is somewhat humorous. As a party move, designed with tile object of exacting pledges from members the measure of whose allcgiauco to the leaders may be regarded with some suspicion, such a proceeding would probably possess its advantages;,but the notion that tho Prime Minister should impose upon the party caucus the responsibility of deciding for him the course of action ho should take at tho present crisis in bis political fortunes, and that tho country should havo to await tho decision of this tribunal before it learns what the immediate outcome of the election is to be,, is ono that tho community would, at any but a time of desponilo straits for the Government, have been justified in dismissing as absurd. That the Primo Minister is spurring for time is evident. The announcement that a short prorogation of Parliament—to January 10—has been granted sufficiently indicates this, but it is also evident that he must make iiis choice ono way or the other before tho holidays arc well over," "An Entirely Proper Course," Tho prorogation of Parliament until January 10 is the formal proclamation of that political truce which should obtain i the Christmas seawn (wvys m> Auckland "Herald"). Wo may reasonably infer that it is tho intention of tho Prime Minister to meet Parliament at an early clatu in tho -New Yenr. and to make any official statement vhkh may be called" for when the position of parties has l>ecn unmistakably denned. Wβ have no hesitation iu saying that this ix an entirely proper course, and that hit , Jopeph Ward, in following it, will bo in clows accord with the best traditions of BrU tisli governance. An early meeting of Parliament will place tho existing ftihintion upon n, thoroughly constitution*! basis, and will cnublo tho Government of the country to bu carried on without (.•neck or hindrance. A Question for Parliament. Obviously (says tko "Southland Times") by the simple process of handing ill his resignation Sir Joseph Ward could placo Mr. Musspy in the difficult position in which ho now finds himself. At any r.iU'i nothing is to be gained by precipitancy, ami we lake it that tho ppoplo generally will willingly wait a few days longer for tho announcement which tho Primo Minister has promised to make. What that announcement will be no do not know, but we venture to «iy that tho proper course in tho circumstances is for iSir I Joseph Ward to meet Parliament early in January as Primo Mini.sl.or nnd to in. v'jto n test division with a view to ascertaining tho strength of parties. Tho question as to which party should carry on the Government is, after all, not it questiou for Sir Joseph Ward or for Mr. Massoy, but for Parliament as a whole, and we do not seo how it is possible for either leader to make tho arrangements that aro necessary itnle.vs the members of the House are assembled in consultation. Not "Tho Only Man." The "Wairarapa Daily Times" gives reasons why tho London "Times" regards Sir Joseph Ward as the only man able to deal in a statesmanlike way with the present situation. , "He loved to frequently visit London us the chosen and popular chief man of New Zealand, nnd, while plain Willinm M'asscy toilet! unremittingly to faithfully discharge his political duties, and, unassisted by even a sec-rekiry, (|iiifily spent his own moderate menus in what ho honestly Mievcd was a good cause, (ho Primo Minister, with his srcivtaritw aiul his titles and his w«il(h, was being lionised in London, and was regarded as a vpry great mini indeed. The London 'Tinws , saw, at Iho Corona I inn, of .'ill ~S?\\- '/.nsilaud's politicians, only Sir Joseph Wiuvl and Sir John Findlay, and it thought jliorc was none else. It could not know that, in soim> strange and mysterious way, Xew Zealand's other politicians received no invitations to tfia Coronation celebrations until it was too lat« to ac. cfpt them. Tho misled 'Thunderer , will discover, quite soon, that there are otlwjr men in Xew Zealand capable of helping Xeiv Zealand into a happier position—

no man, for instance, who, while ho Kisii-ssc? no ftublU'ties of character, and I'bo if 100 to ever win he title of 'Wi«:ird of I'jnance,' is yet slnlcunun as able as ho is energetic. >lr. Muswy is a. poor man, a mnii from ho raiikf, a man against whom there liis nr;vi'r boon a suggestion of dishonesty >r double-dealing, and a mnn whom tho toople miiy put jnlo a position of great riis.l: with coufldrncp. He may iot bo 'die only man'—but neither is Sir 'oicpli Ward. ,, Has He a Plan in View? The "Jluwke's Hay Tribune" confiders Ijial, even when all fillownuco is made for ihe (jrpat dilliciilliort of Sir Joseph Ward's Ijnijitioii, his duty is plnin. "Ifo has lunl. :Wo.il, and his lardini'&s in making o]wx recognition of (ho fuel, is working him harm, both polilfcilly aiid pornoiwlly. Hβ innv need time to phin, and in aU'probabilily Parliament, will bo further proiiißlicd Irani January 10 with Hip object i-'l suiting Hie convenience of members and (.lovornincnts r,\vu purposes, but wlnit ran il avuiW So far as we can soo nw Mr J<wcph Ward can expert nothing lr.-s Hum dprifiivp dofoat upon the first motion bpioin the. House, but as \\n before roniarkod, if tliciv arp any means of artifice oi' strategy by which th c Prime Jliniisior ™ n . .Vt"' »"HoB he will employ them, v,» '" mm ~ 1 5. ,f h<,,,la< ' " Plan in mow jhe rnbiiup," however,, doos "illnii" a eU< ~ S Bt " IC 088,1 Only One Reasonable Course. The "Taranaki Herald" thinks (he Preininr s hcMbuicy "goes to show that he lias sjarcrly recovered from Ihe shook, scarcely realised that Iho eoiintrv )i»i pronounced dccidwlly against his "Minisy, nnd that he is relucUtit to givo up the reins he has held so loiir. No one wants him to hand over the keys at once noiio less perhaps than Mr. Massey, but the counlry and the Loader of the Oppo-f-ition. hayo u right to know what the Premier intends to do. There is, of coiwe, only one course of to a reasonable man, and that is to call I'flrlinmont together as soon as convenient, and let it )m ascertained definitely w\ V" i<?a<t thc HonEC nest venr. »hy .then, cannot the Premier make a definite announcement, so that tho members of Parliament may make their engagements accordingly? Under the present conditions of uncertainty no member can venture to go far away until he knows exactly when his presence will be required m Wellington. There ie everything to be said in favour of calling Parliament together next month, and nothing to excuse longer delay. It must be assumed that if the Ministry docs not voluntarily resign it will bo defeated at the first trial of strength, and if that docs not occur until tho House meets in tho ordinary course of things, about Juno next, it moans considerable delay in getting to work. We hope that' Mr. Mnssor will, when he is Premier, contrive to hold thc sessions some weeks earlier in the year than has boen the usual practice, so that tho great inconvenience arlsjug from the last possible momont tho chances are mates may be obviated, but if Sir Joseph »ard obstinately holds on to office until tun last possible moment the. chances are that the next session will bo an unsatisfactory and lato one." Something Definite Wanted. The Primo Minister is evidently playing tho waiting came (says the '"Wairarapa Age"). When tlio result of Iho second ballot revealed Unit ho had lost the confidence of the country, ho promised to make un. announcement when (lie Maori elections wore over. Subsequently ho declared that ho would make fl Malemont on Friday. He now says that Parliament ha« ten nroroeucd until January 1(1. That is all. The country has a ripht (o oxpoct something more definite. Does tho Prime Minister intend flouting U'o voice of the country, and holding on to oflion until June? Or will he do tho right thing, and lender his resifrnnfcion, or summon Parliament immediately and accent a vote of no-confi-dence? ■ As Sir William Hal]-.Toni\s's l*rm of the High Omimissirtnnrsliip !im linen oxtpndod .until March 31, it looks as Ihough Sir Joseph Ward intends carrying on until he is absolutely compelled to surrender. The Country's Desire. Despite the involved arithmetical eal-i culations nf Hie Ministerial press, there is no possibility of doubt that Mr. Meswy will have a. clear majority solid in the interests of reform. Tho country has fhowji so plainly its desiro for n no* regime pregnant with possibilities in the way of clean and efficient administration

Dial: member." not definitcly pledged to Wardism—and it is surprising how many avowed Liberals declined nt the linstincs to give such pledges—will most probably not imperil their political chances by refusing, to recognise nnd acknowledge the people's mandate.—"Pelorus Guardian." The Old Secretlvencss. The pnimevirko "News" says: "Sir seph Ward has shown very little consideration for the country in his method nf dealing with tho political crisis The I'riinn Minister has boon principally criticised by tho Reform party for refusing to Rive public information when it win wanted. He refused to give particulars of the five million loan, of Hie Coronniion invitations, of- tho entertainment of tho Hon. Gcorpo Fowlds by the Cabinet at the country's expense, and a number of other matters that tho country had a right (o know. He now appears to be earryiiifj tho polioy of pleasing himself, and ignoring public requirements to its furthest limit. Parliament has been, prorogued until January 10 of next year, but there is nothing to'hinder the ITonsn beinj? further prorogued until it suits th« pleasure of Iho Ministry to decide iU fate. Wiro-pulling in the nmno of Liberalism will be freely indulged in as a Christinas pastime, and Sir Joseph Ward will continue, to play the party came until it can bo played no longer. The Reform parly has nothing to low by the waitin? frame, as tho longer Sir Joseph Ward el hies in office the more ho shows he i<! suiting his own pcrwnal convenience and not the general good of the country." Very Unsatisfactory Position. Where the Government's majority is te como from is difficult to .see, for on a notcoufulenee motion the Government will be in a minority of about nine. There is no question Hint Parliament should be called together »t th« earlfwt opportunity and thus put n.n end one way or another io a very unsatisfactory position.—"Ma' tauvn Ensign."