POLITICAL SITUATION

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 113, 16 May 1925, Page 8

POLITICAL SITUATION

.WAITING FOR DEVELOPMENTS

REFORM PARTY'S CAUCUS.

''Watching and waiting to see what turns up" just about summarises the political situation at the moment. It is believed that the Reform Party caucus will b e held in about a fortnight, and antil then there is bound to be no lack of speculation as to the person upon whom the mantle of leadership will fall.

The names of Messrs. W. Downio Stewart and J. G. Coates are on everybody's tongue, and.-Mr,- A. D.: M'Leod is also mentioned. Some say that much weight will attach to the opinion of Mr W Aosworthy as to the merits of the various nominees put forward, and that even Mr. ' Nosworthy himself, as the senior member of. the- Reform Cabinet in the lower House,, is not wholly to be disregarded in the final.selection. • The Prime Minister (the Hon. Sir Francis' Bell) has sfc2A«L: aeflsiteljLj'hat, as soon as" the Reform Party has found its new leader, he will tender to His Excellency the Gov-ernor-General the resignation of the Government, and bo in a position to name the leader to whom, it is desired that the duty of forming the new Reform Government should be entrusted. While at, the moment it seems unlikely to happen, the suggestion is made that, in the event of the Reform caucus being tumble to agree on a, leader, Sir Francis Bell may continue in office and appoint someone to talec charge of Government business in the House of Representatives. Such a situation would, without the slightest doubt, be fiercely assailed bplh in the House and in the country. In the linal choice a great deal will depend upon tho reports which come to hand from New York regarding Mr. Stewart's health and the likelihood of his early and complete recovery.

One thing seems fairly certain, and it is that whoever becomes the new Prime Minister will have no light task to face in forming' ;i ' Ministry. Within the past two years, at any rate, there has been no Jack of claimants for .Ministerial rank ; and, so far as the North Island is concerned, there have been aspirants both' in the southern portion and in the middle Auckland district. Those who have been passed over have not always concealed their sense of disappointment, nnd if the new Prime Minister to he appointed in the event oE the early resignation of the Bell Ministry decides to fill tho vacancy in the Reform Cabinet caused by the death of Mr. Massey, there may be more disgruntled feelings. Such a possibility is not at all unlikely, and it may be that in certain circumstances appointment to Ministerial rank may be the price of loyalty.' In any case, as one Reform member of Parliament put it, the "situation is distinctly interesting-"