A NATIONAL CABINET?

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2501, 30 June 1915, Page 7

A NATIONAL CABINET?

FOR TERM OF THE WAR

PROPOSAL BY THE GOVERNMENT

OUTLINED BY MR. MASSEY

DETAILS TO BE DISCUSSED

OPINIONS OF MEMBERS

A_t) important statement was made to the House of Representatives last evening by thfi Right Hon. W. F. Massey (Prime Minister) on the proposal to form a National Cabinet "I wish to say," said Mr. Massey, "on behalf of myself and the members of the Government that we are prepred to discuss and consider favourably any reasonable proposal to establish in this country a National Cabinet, thus following in a small way what has been dOhe in the United Kingdom. I know that it ; is quite impossible for the House as a whole to discuss the details of this proposal, and I don't intend to attempt to do so. And I wou|d just like to say this: that I think it is generally recognised that the business to be dealt with in the present session and perhaps for a long time to come will bo such that it should not be dealt with on ordinary party lines. I think honourable members will agree with me in that proposal. I ought to say that.my proposalrefers only to the war period, and docs not refer to any date beyond that. As soon as the war comes to an end my proposal, if it is given effect to, will also come to an end. "I hope honourable members will take this matter into their serious consideration—consideration to which by its importance it,is entitled. Following up that point, I would like to inform honourable mem*bers I shall be prepared to confer and discuss this subject with the Leader of the Opposition at any timo it may be sonvenient for him to do so." No Hasty Decision. Sir Joseph Ward (Leader of the Opposition) : The matter just referred to by the Right Hon. the Prime Minister is olie of very great importance, and 1 sannot in ail off-hand way profess to discuss a matter so far-reaching in its bearings. ' Until I entered this Chamber just now I had no idea of the intention of tho right lion, gentleman to allude to this important matter. It is only right to say on behalf of this side of the House that no proposal of the kind referred to has been made by myself 01' aUy members of our party. Mr. Massey: Hear, hear. Sir Joseph Ward, continuing, said that of course, the-Prime Minister would recognise that the matter was one whioli would require to be carefully considered before he could express any opinion regarding it. He referred to the present state of affairs which tlie war had occasioned in all parts of the British Empire, and said that with a sense of his responsibility to our own country upon his shoulders lie was most anxious to do everything possible to promote the well-being of New Zealand and to strengthen thoefforts that the Dominion was now making in the direction of assisting the British Empire. At present he could not do more than to say that the proposal put forward by the Prim© Minister would be carefully considered by himself and those associated with him in the same general sense ill which it had been brought forward. It, of course, would bo perfectly well understood that an Opposition party in a minority could not and would not move in a matter such as this. Energies Should be Focused. Mr. Massey: I quite agree with the opinion that tho Leader of the Opposition has expressed. This is a matter that should not be dealt with hastily or without proper consideration. My reason for bringing it forward is that I feel very strongly that the energies of Parliament, the energies of every member of Parliament, should be given to promoting New Zealand's share in the great struggle in which Now Zealand, along with every other part of tho Empire, is engaged, and to bringing this War to a satisfactory conclusion. Sir Joseph Ward: I wish to say on hehalf of this side of the House 'that nothing will be wanting on our part to promote the best interests of New Zealand, and to help the Old Country to bring this war to a conclusion, as far as our part is concerned. I want to take the opportunity of saying that I sincerely hope_ that those responsible in Great Britain for the conduct of the war will not allow any precipitate conclusion of the war until Great Britain and her dependencies are in a position to dominate the country which lias thrown the world into this turmoil. (Hear, hear.)

VIEWS OP MEMBERS DIVIDED OPINIONS £>N BOTH SIDES OF THE HOUSE The proposal made by the Prime mnistcr was the sole topic of conversation in the lobbies after the early adjournment last night, and owing to the unprecedented eoiding of the Ad-dress-in-Reply debate those who favour it were immensely sanguine of its acceptance. Even such a cursory in- ( quiry a 6 it was possible to make among members scarcely justifies the certain conclusion that the scheme will fructify exactly as is now hoped. In the Government Party there are apparently three distinct opinions. There are those members who are not in favour of coalition under any circumstances;, there are those who would favour a coalition on terms on which they have already fixed opinions, and there arp those who consider that the matter is now open for free negotiation as between the party chiefs, who may be »xpected to approacli the negotiations in a spirit, of compromise. Fhese two latter classes are perhaps not clearly defined as between each other, md it is quite true to say that they Mmprise a considerable majority of the party. They are just as emphatic as the Prime Minister was in his statenont, however, that the agreement, if irrived at, must not extend beyond the period of the war. They do not share Mr. Downie Stewart's expressed opinion that any merging of parties is likely to develop into a permanency. The opinion of the Opposition is rather more difficult to assess. One member who has a little Latin greeted an inquiring reporter not ineptly with this quotation: "Timeo Dannos et rlona ferentes." He was careful to add, however, that he meant the reply as to what he regarded as the representative of a hostile journal, and not as to tie Prime Minister and bis proposal. It is understood, however., that this member distrusts the proposal. Anothor very important- member of the opp6sition was heard to express his opinion laconically thus: "This is dono to put us in a hole." Still another member, speaking probably the opinions )f- a. considerable number of members if hi» party, refused to consider tia

proposal as nil actuality until it was made more explicit. He considered it was tlio duty and responsibility of the Government to state the terms on which they would agreo to some degree of coalition, and that it was for the Opposition to accept or reject them. This might also bo inferred from Sir Joseph Ward's remarks. From this it may be gathered that thoro are memburs, by 110 means the least influential on either side, who are opposed to condition. On the other hand there is a considerable body of opinion on the Opposition side as on the Government side which is favourable to it. Those members see very clearly that the affairs which must concern the New Zealand Parliament in the immediate future, and possibly for a year or two, are not local affairs, but Imperial af-. fail's of stupendous moment, and they argue that for these reasons all differences of opinion on local guestions should be forgotten for tho time, and that tho representative men of the country should get 'together to use' their united efforts to further aims on wliioh none of them can have any but oiie opinion. As to whotlier the scheme will end in anything, it is the generally accepted view that much will depend upon tho tact of the leaders in approaching the negotiations as to details. It was noticeable last night that in the little groups of members ' discussing the matter the groups were confined to members of one party. Tho thing had come at least to the Opposition members as something of a surprise, and they were not yet prepared to parley with any opponents concerning it. This latter stage is sure to be reached in the case of many members to-day, and in the course of the next day or two.- These iniormai discussions may or may not have t'he effect of defining exactly what is the ground common to both parties. The Labour members, it is believed; have already discussed possibility of the formation of a Coalition Government, and have decided that 110 one of their party shall sit in a Coalition Government, as the representative of their party. . Moreover, their decision goes this step farther —that if a coalition is consummated as between tho Government and the Opposition' Parties, the Labour Party will declare its independence. It is well known that'there are in the more radical wing of the Opposi-1 tion Party men other than Labour representatives who are implacable in their hostility to the party now on the Tieasury benches. These: members will very probably declare their opposition j to the Coalition Government if such is formed. To mention names now might embarrass the situation, as one Opposition member friendly to the schema I pointed out last night.

The strength' of, these various factions or their probable influence on tho final res lit it is quite impossible yet to assess. It is probably • correct to say now that a majority of members of the Houso will support a scheme of coalition.