THE SESSION’S PROSPECTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 June 1912, Page 5

THE SESSION’S PROSPECTS

THE MINISTER WHO DOES NOT WORRY. HON. W. D. S. MACDONALD’S OPINIONS. [«t telegraphy-special to the star.] WELLINGTON, This Day. Amid all the clash of conflicting opinions and rumours and prophecy of political destruction, there is one man at least who is fairly unconcerned. ! He : s the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, who is too'-'busy to be worried with the uncertainties, and he frankly said so in discussing the prospects of the session with me to-day. “I'have not thought fit the question «f what is going to happen when the session starts,” said Mr MacDonald. “I have found that my duties in connection with Public; Works. Native and Valuation Departments .take up all my time. Although I have been able to travel over a small portion of the North and South Islands to see the construction works on roads and railways in progress, 1 have not been able to see many places I would like to have visited, I would not feel justified, in my position - of Minister of Public Works, in bringing before Parliament a Railway Authorisation Bill unless 1 am thoroughly acquainted with all the projects and their paying possibilities. Telegrams and letters have been reaching me freely from all parts of Now Zealand, urging me to visit different localities in connection with roads, railways and bridges. This occurs on one hand, while on the other we have a section of the press crying out about Ministers’ trips. The position is really that I should do more travelling.” PROSPECTS OF THE SESSION.

“I am not worrying about it at all,” said Mr MacDonald. “Members of the Liberal, and Labour party combined when the Ministry was formed and' agreed to support, the party. If they have changed their views since then that concerns themselves and will, of course, concern their constituents who returned them as supporters of the Liberal party.” Ministerial life is not so easy and attractive that you would continue on any terms? I suggested to the Minister. Ho promptly concurred. “I feel,” ho said,, “that my position as Minister of Public Works and “Native Minister is a heavy task for anybody. That these particular matters have engaged my attention for the last thirty years so they do not come with exceptional difficulty to me but the tremendous amount of correspondence and the large amount of work on hand necessitates the Minister’s whole time being given to carrying out the duties to the satisfaction of the country, so that if he has, in addition to be worried about the political support from his own party then, of course, and I say this unhesitatingly, the game is hot worth thecandle so far as I am concerned. I have’heard no complaints from any member of the Liberal party or any statement as to their intentions when the House meets, so that 1 am able to carry on my work without any worry.” •jETu'-'