NEWSPAPER OPINIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 141, 15 June 1906, Page 5

NEWSPAPER OPINIONS.

MEASURING THE POSSIBILITIES. Everybody is speculating about what is now going to happen in fhe political world. Will Sir Joseph. Ward lead the House for any length of time? Will the Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones assume the Pre miership permanently? These and other questions of a similar character are on every lip. Ai this juncture, therefore, it is interesting to read what the newspapers have to say about our Premier for the time being. • The Otago Daily Times, in a leader entitled "The Political Void," says that Mr. Hall-Jones is, of course, hardly to be compared with Mr. Seddon in point of his mental any more than of his physical equipment. "To say that involves no disparagement of Mr. Ball-Jones .- life has shown, himself to be in many respecte a careful and capable administrator, bub he is, .temporarily at least, to fill a place which has for more than thirteen years been occupied by one who was, in every sense of the term, a political giant. . . The hew Premier will apparently respect in the fullest degree the feeling of the country that Sir Joseph Ward is the legitimate successor of his late chief. . . . A Government consisting of Messrs. Hall- Jones, Cnrroll, Duncan, Mills, M'Gowan, and Pitt, it must be confessed, does not strike tflie imagination as being particularly formidable . . Though there will be a great deal of intriguing nnd plotting within the next few weeks by aspirants for Ministerial place, there is no reason why Mr, Hall-Jones 6honld not carry on quite successfully with tbn aid of his five colleagues until Sir Joseph Ward arrives to take up the -ems of Government. Then we may expect to hear of the long-deferred' reconstruction, and then we shall probably see exceedingly interesting developments in the political situation."

Christchurch Truth says :— "lt Is not pleasant to be regarded merely as a ".stojt f&s' until another man's arrival.'

I It would have been far more gratifying to Mr. Hall-Jones's pride to have Beifcedi the opportunity which came bis way, and formed a stTong Liberal Ministry composed of the strongest men in Parliament, with himself as Premier, to hold tlhe fort against all comers. But Mr. Hall-Jones has not fallen in the estimation of the country by the atftitude he has adopted on this historic occasion. He consents to play the- part of the "stop gap" because he believes it will be in the befits interests of his ;party and of the country. We congratulate the honourable gentleman on his decision. It is one that required courage and a great amount of jself-sacrifice to make. Few politicians are put to such a testi, and few would come through it; with their .honour ai iinsnllied as Mr. Hall-Jones. He stand* higher in colonial regard to-day than he has ever done. . . We admit that, like many people, we have not been impressed always either with Mr. Hall-Jones's ability or his candour, but he is a vastly different man to-day from the callow carpenter who first took office under Mr. Bed* don. . . Comparisons can, of course, bo instituted to show that Mr. HallJonas .woold make a better Prime Minister tlhan Sir Joseph Ward. They . are idle. Physically he is no£ strong enough for tne task, mentally he is not well enough equipped, and- practically he lacks ' the experience and the influence of the senior Minister. In any case Sir Joseph Ward is the natural successor to -Mr, Seddon." The Dunedin Star says :t"Now that ifc is practically settled that the Hon..; W. Hall-Jones will merfely act as head of the Gdvernment till Sir J. G. Ward, who is returning post haste, reaches the colony,' the tJime is ripe for speculation as to the possibilities of the immediate future. That Sir Joseph, when summoned to form a Cabinet, will conform to the oftexpressed wish of the Liberal partyadvice that loyalt)y,to his colleagues alone deterred Mr. Seddon ir^m acting upon —to reconstruct the Cabinet may, we think, be accepted. He will, moreover, in all probability endeavour to associate with himself as colleagues the strongest! men on the Government side of the House, irrespective of itfsular or provincial considerations — though We recognise that this has been taken largely into account in Cabinet formation in the past. Names that immediately suggest; themselves as deserving of promotion to Cabinet rank are Mr. It. M'Nab and Mr. J. A. Millar. Both rendered yeomen's service to the late Premier, and of each it can be honestly said : "He has earned his political spurs." To make room for their inclusion two Southern Ministers now holding portfolios will have to be retired. Should an additional Minister bs given to Auckland, the claims of Mr. Fowlds and Mt. Baume are certain to be pressed." "Since the Ministry must be formed on party lines," comments the Lyttelton Times, "the action Mr. Hall-Jones_ may take is largely a matter between himself and the Liberal Party, and, of course, will be reviewed both by the caucus -and by Parliament. But it must not be supposed that the new Premier is a man lucking in courage and independence of spirit. We are quite satisfied that if lie had to choose between his duty and the probable desires of the party it would be duty and not convenience that would inspire him. And oh this occasion he is acting the part of a strong man. A politician of smaller mind would shrink from a situation in which, he would be sneered at by oppoments as a stop-gap, and perhaps pitied by his political allies. . . . His mes'sageto the people rings true. "I believe," he says, "that the people of New Zealand have confidence in my desire and resolve to do that which is in accordance with their wishes and the dictates of my own honour." It was clearly his duty to accept the commission entrusted to him by tht Governor, and he has accepted it with, the quiet determination to succeed that has characterised his whole political career. The Ministers have all been overshadowed by their great chief during the past dozen years, and the public have perhaps not given Mr. Hall-Jones the credit to which he has been entitled for the very able administration of an important public department. But Parliamentarians know how capable a defence he could make in the House if Mb administration was attacked, and, they will not be slow to admit that the new Premier has the self-posEession and the grit to meet any difficulties that are likely to arise while'be is at the head of affairs. The attitude of the various groups of the Liberal Party will depend entirely on the personnel and character of the reconstructed Government, and there is little likelihood that anything will be done in the way_ of reconstruction until Sir Joseph. Ward is back. In the meantime we congratulate Mr. Hall-Jones very warmly on the honour that has fallen to him. "Hints arc being made in Some quarters—not altogether disinterested ones— that the present is Mr. Hall-Jones's opportunity to become leader of the Liberal party in the next 'Ministry " (says the Timaru Post, the Liberal organ in the. Minister's electorate). "The object of this advice is plain. It is hoped to create dissension in thei parly, and there would certainly be a serious split* in its ranks if Mr. Hall-Jones took advantage of Sir Joseph Ward's absence* and undertook the formation of a Ministry ft is recognised by Ministerial and Opposition members alike that Sr Joseph Ward, as Mr. Seddon's ' first lieutenant ' should succeed his chief as Premier. Bub what is to bo done until Sir Joseph can arrive .in the colony ? ... it seems probable then that the Hon. W. -Hall-Jonas will meet the House, practically in his present position, though for the time being. he may.be Premiei instead of Act-ing-Premier, and ,that there will be no change in the present distribution of portfolios. Probably the House will v*fclect Mr. Guinness as Speaker, pass an Imprest Supply Bill, and adjourn as a mark of respect to the late Premier, until Sir Joseph can arrive in the colony and take up the position to which ho certainly lias an indisputable clailn." The- Press, Christchurch, in the course of a loading article dealing with the political situation, statee that "there is "a strong feeling in the country against recklessness in finance or extreme measures of legislation. It is this feeling which, has already led to the suggestion that possibly Mr. Hall-Jones would make a better Premier than Sir Joseph Ward, or that if the latter is to succeed Mr. Seddon it should be as the head of a coalition Cabinet, to include some of the leading men in the Opposition ranks who are known for their sound judgment and prudent views. We do not think there is any need for uneasiness in regard to the future. Sir Joseph Ward lias had the reputation of lacking the caution and moderation of his late chief, but he, is no fool. Apart from the sobering effect of responsibility, he has quite sufficient knowledge of public opinion in this colo- • ny to know that both Ms policy atid his administration will be watched with a jealous eye, aud that along the middle path lies his best chance of safety. What we have said we believe applies to the new Premier whoever he may be, whether Sir Joseph Ward or another. If ho surrounds himself with colleagues of Found and moderate viewo, if wbilo aiming continually at progress, he is careful not to give himself dyer into the hands of any faction, he has a very excellent chance of continuing in office, and carrying on the work of which Mr. Seddon laid doy^a the leading lines. If he

should prove reckless, <- either in bis programme or administration, there is no doubt a . speedy reaction . would 6et in among the people, and his hopes of emulating the success and fame of his pre- v dece.<sor .would be brought to an end." On' Tuesday tha Auckland Star editorially expressed the opinion that . "if the Ministry continues its work without interruption, the Acting-Premier will naturally take Mr. Spddon's place. But the Agting-Premier is the Minister for Public ; Works, and it is no reflection upon*' Mr. Hall-Jones' administrative capacity to say that he has never been regarded as Mr. Seddon's natural successor. It has always been taken for granted that the mantle .of the great prophfet of Liberalism would fall upon the shoulders of Sir Joseph \v ard. . The mere word "reconstruction" is enough to recall a long Series' of difficulties that h^ye risen in relation to the personnel of Mr. Seddon's Cabinet. We need not attempt to disguise the notorious f.ict that t\ro, d . not ««ree, members of the Seddon Administration have given no proof of- their ability to fill their posts, and that the country has long wished to see them replaced by more capable Ministers." After referring to the danger of including mediocrities, in. the Cabinet," the Star concludes : — "The long public experience and the well-tried capacity of Sir isseph Ward should go far to establish public 'confidence in the prospects of the Liberal Party. But it is against this danger more than any other that the Liberal leaders must guard in future, and it is for this' reason that it behoves the new Premier, to choose his colleagues solely with a view" to their political or administrative; capacity?, . and .without reference to any Tague' prescriptive right that might seem to be conferred by previous Ministerial * experience. -'That Cabinet will be reconstructed goes without saying," says the Southland Times, "but Mr. Hall-Jones cannot proceed with that task until tne return of Sir Joseph Ward." Were Sir Joseph Ward the only absentee who must have a place in^ the new Cabinet it would be difficult enough to made a redistribution, of port: folios until his return; but Sir Joseph Ward is not the only absentee. At the present time both Mr. M*Nab 'and Mr. Fowlds t are absent from the colony and both are almost certain to be members of tfie new Administrstion. . . The future is pregnant with possibilities, and the new Pat Jament will be watched with an interest inferior in strength only to that with which the return ot Sir Joseph Ward and bis assumption of leadership is awaited. The Timaru Herald considers "Mr. Hall-Jones ia a little enijjin.itic in the statement he handed to the press for publication. It ■would have been leas equivocal if he had told the colony plainly what he intends to do ifcstead of relying -upon the people's confidence in his ' desire and resolve to do what is iv accordance with their wishes and the dictates of his own honour.' But an examination of his statement leads to the conclusion that his assumption of the Premiership is merely temporary. Evidently he. considers Sir Joseph -Ward the rightful successor of Mr. Seddcn, and although fate has given him an opportunity which few public men of ambitious and determined character would allow to let slip, he feels that honour compels him to respect the claims of his absent colleague." The article concludes with the statement thai if "Sir Joseph Ward has any thought of himself, he will restore efficiency to the Cabinet by calling to it the ablest men in his party-" *