WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 February 1917, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

NEW ZEALAND’S REPRESENTATIVE.

(Special to “Stab.”)

WELLINGTON, Febniary 23. No word has been received Infe in confirmation of tlie American leport that the meeting -of the Imperial Conference has been further postponed in consequence of the political crisis in Australia. People most likely to. know what is going on do not believe that the representatives of the other dominions will be kept kicking their heels in London, while the monwesilth goes about the leisurely settlement of its rather sordid party squabbles. If there is .a further postponement for any considerable time, they say, either Mr Massey or Sir Joseph Ward or both of them will have to return to New Zealand to attend to matters of importance here. Parliament will have to; be called together before the end of June to vote supply, and members of the House and the country will expect to see Ift least one of the party Tealois of the National Cabinet in his place. There is less disposition jumong the “Independents” to kick over the traces than there was a year ago, but thev will want information on a variety of subjects that can he supplied only by Mr Massey or Sir Joseph Ward. CABINET HECONSTPvIJCTION. Tnorc is much speculation in th ? political circles lying just outside the holiest of holies cerning the filling of Dr MdNab’s place in the Cabinet. Ministers, of course, will say nothing for publication on the subject. What is known is that Mr MacDonald has been acting Leader of the Liberal party during the absence of Sir Joseph Ward, and lias taken over temporarily the most important, of Dr McNab s portfolios. 'lt is reported that Mr Hunan has been relieved from a somewhat anomalous position bv a re-arrangement of salaries, and that his appointment as Minister of Justice may be regarded as a permanent one, permanent, that is, so far as the Ministerial life of a politician 'may be measured. Air Hassell, who came next in precedence amonp: the Liberals in the official list, might have reasonably’ looked for appointment to the temporary leadership, but if he is disappointed by the promotion conferred upon Mr MacDonald he is disguising his feelings uncom-

THE -NEW MINISTER. But the re-arrangement of port* folios among the present Ministers is'interesting lire gossips less than is’ the selection of a new Minister. The Liberal Leader is in the . more or less embarrassing position of having both to nominate a candidate for Parliament and to practical!v appoint a successor to Dr McNab in the Cabinet. A picturesque speculation to which this position has given some remote colour of possibility is that in the event of Sir John Lind lav being , returned for Hawkes ’ Bay he and Sir Francis Bell, with Ministerial rank, will go to London to attend the Imperial Conference and thus release Air Massey and Sir Joseph Ward for the still more important work awaiting them here. No one pretends to have any warrant for dreaming of such an arrangement," but there certainly is a growingfeeling here that the absence of the two Ministers directly responsible to the country for the administration of its affairs should not be prolonged for a single day more than is absolutely necessary.

THE POLITICAL SITUATION. Happily, these questions have arisen at a time when the political situation is calmer than it has been for many years past. Ihe war has silenced the party politicians and is on a fair way to banishing party politics. dips miracle is all the more wonderful by the fact that political convictions and political aspirations remain just as strong and just ns intense as they were three years ago. Simply the politicians and their parties, in the face, of a great national crisis, have dropped their unworthy suspicions of one another and have united in a common effort to reach a common goal. But this is not going to save the National Cabinet from criticism when Parliament meets. On tlie contrary, the very security of the party truce is going to unloosen the tongues of the critics, and without flippancy apd without bitterness the private member, on whichever side of the House he sits, is going to be a more independent and a more effective person than he ever has been before.