NATIONAL CABINET.

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 July 1915, Page 2

NATIONAL CABINET.

PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION. SUCCESS NOT PREDICTED. IJv felegrapn—Special to the Star.] WELLINGTON, This Day. The Premier and Leader of the Opposition conferred this morning to discuss the National Cabinet proposal, but nothing definite was reached. The Premier subsequently stated that it was only in the nature of a preliminary discussion. It is very clear from remarks in various well-informed quarters that the Government's idea of a reasonable agreement does not incli'de the relinquishment by any of the present Ministers of their seats in the Cabinet, but rather a temporary filling of three' additional seats from the Opposition side of the House. The Oppositionists feel that if all party interests are to be sunk the National Cabinet should be formed on an equitable basis comprising, say, five members, including the Premier', from the Government side and four Opposi. tion members. The suggestion that the present Government should retain all its present seats in the Cabinet and that three Opposition members be taken in duiing the war as supernumary Ministers is re. garded as little short of farcical. The present prospects of coalition may be regarded as too remote to be considered as serious-