Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1940. DOMINION POLITICS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 December 1940, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1940. DOMINION POLITICS.

PARLIAMENT has adjourned until February—unless national emergency makes advisable an earlier gathering,—but apart from those who obtain instruction, or amusement, from the broadcasts of the proceedings in the House, there will be little regret, among the public and Members, generally. The war, of course, has its effect on Parliamentary proceedings, no other topic being of much importance, meanwhile. Moreover, the large majority held by the Government gives the Opposition little chance of influencing decisions, and like most national avenues of enterprise, the

House is under that “control” beloved by the present Ministry. It is a fair estimate to declare, however, that the Opposition increased its prestige during the recent ses- ( sion, whereas the popularity of the Government has dwindled. Were the general election due this month, the Ministry would face the prospect of defeat, because town and country are increasingly dissatisfied. This evening, at the Greymouth Town Hall, Mr. A. AV. Bodkin, Member for Central Otago, is to give an address on the political situation, and it is td be hoped that a large attendance will be attracted. Saturday evening is not the best chosen time for a political gathering which aims to secure a large audience, and at this season of the year, public thoughts are more on holidays than duties. However, Mr. Bodkin should have something interesting to say, and he has proved his ability as a speaker. He will not lack material to prove Ministerial shortcomings and mistakes, and as under its new leader, the National Party is enjoying a favourable turn of the political tide, supporters of that Party have reason for enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the Ministerialists are less happy and united. A caucus is to be held next week, at which to discuss Labour dissensions and probably to make Cabinet changes. None of these is expected to be important. Mr. Fraser will not face his supporters conscious that all is going well with the Labour Party. The Democratic Labour breakaway is attracting more comrades than expected, if not enough support to justify taking this Party seriously. Official Labour declares that Mr. Lee and his supporters wish to go too far- and too fast, whereas already, there are complaints from those who, at first, acclaimed Democratic Labour, that the Party is not revolutionary enough, the ex-treasurer unkindly declaring that “the difference between the Official and Democratic Labour Parties is that of tweedledum and tweedledee.” So another Labour Party is to be started, whose policy, as far as it has been revealed, is to be against everybody else.