POLITICAL CRISIS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 14, 29 December 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL CRISIS.

WHAT Wil l. s|l: Do SIGNIN' ANT M'ALMIATS. [»T (Own Corre-pondeiir >. V. ■■'Ellston. I*>■. . J-. Close ob.’rru rs of political mo’, ements tan h .n tlie.r f.■ of the «oni. '.'.l the < M inter is to soon give to the o’ New Zealand. Some cotiimont.it-’ who profess to be in a position to know the working of the Miriisteri..' minds whisper trint Sir Joseph Ward will set himself the task -d try in« t<> weu p y th e T rca sil -y benches, for another tcrt.i. Tl • critics are not wry explicit about the plans, an* procedure by uhicif the .Ministry can hold office. Other readers «»f the-signs of tim times -readers friendly to the No-, eminent express a belief that > •- Joseph Ward will re-ogn a: .■ Mr. Massey the task of forming a Ministry and trvirig to carry on witii a. party of 37 or 3». If Dr. Pomare is included the argument of these

expositors runs thus : Assuming that the strnightout Ministerialists inn Iks reckoned at. 37. the voting strength is reduced to 36 if Sir Joseph takes office, as his partv «.c appoint, the Speaker. Mr Wilford i-.. to be absent for some months that another • »ri»' has to he dedertr'd i from the Ministerial quota. Three of the Labour n;f n. Mreo. Veitch. Robertson and Payne. are assumed to he under an obligation to vot? against the Government on a NoVonfidcnce motion. The Ministerial Press is divided in its advice to the Prime Muster. but the ; owrifid ( loverntwcnt journal, the “Lyi triton Times.” is frank in expressing its Iwlief that th*- wi-er course for Sir Joseph to take f«>r th*- ore-* -at. is to stand aside to ■*< e whnt Mr. Massey can do. ’"Many of the members of the Liberal and Lab ■•irr P-i. - tics chose to keep apart even in the second ballots." remarked *!.<• ’’Times" yesterday. ’ and they cannot reasonably complain of the r*suit of their division. The tw o parties would he better emplov-d now in learning the lesson <f th •• « :»•<’-

tion than in attempting to belit•!«* the success of their opponent-*, and for ourselves we should not Lt* displeased to see Mr. Massey given possession of the Treasury benches for a few months with such k '>pf -rt as he has at his dis[»osat.” I.nh >•«>: - mint! fe still a problem to vex. and perplex any speculator about the future. Diseusisng the outlook t Christchurch on Tuesday Mr. D. McLaren remarked to a refirt'sem.i tire of the "Press” that '"'th*' v<i><->n-position was problematical. ” He was perfectly confident." the report continues, ’ that the view taken by the Oppo.-iion ami by the Opposition Press that the- result of the cent election was in favour - f Mr. Massey and his party was ;iri rd .. lute illusion. When the tdeei. were in progress it was said that, the Opposition appeal was an appeal :■> the lowest passion of human na<u:-< . the passion <f hatred. ami tlwhole manifestation in the North I land (and from what he could .yt iu--■ of what the position w>~ in Gh- ;.t--church) was one of direct .it'.T-k ->:> Sir Joseph Ward particularly ami ■ there had been no present nt m a consnictive policy in the interests of the country, consequently the result of the elections cc.nld not be j taken as endorsing Massey ism in any way especially as Mr. Ma-iscy ’> i supporters did n *t during the elec-j tion campaign sec tit to present their j

interpretation of wl at really means. ” He (Mr. M 1.1 was inclined to think that bn- J. Ward would be able to earn, on for a time at ka-t. 1 am -.it i-i':* d.’ he added. tha; the thr-o l.*J’i,i ■■ men will act o> a sen i \t< m in «H>ner.»ri»n after t.iii'.' il <■■:. • .’• tativn.” Mr. Mi Lar* a s .■*■(» :■ it* >■ to the " three Labour mi n” » *•■ I :•*- eel the Otakt 1 al>*>■•’- S. . irj>: Robertson. Mr. Pat tie, L. rh* way. has been *< u , n« tmrrh »>■, o.n opinions m ht- nfriinre '■> an •‘ultimatum” to >s.- .L>-» ph Wa* i. His rhetoric u de-enbed as "hum- , oumus” by Mr. McLaren. I: ma* be taken f*>.- srrnnt-d that 11 t> itice will n*>t be promt*:" 1 .•» . t; -- the mind of t> ■' • al.-.m” w >ll be -h--rinsed probaL’y l> . ti >• ’ the month tn which the elections : were held.” t> r Mim-tr- u D.u • din Star” *>ta*rd < ■» Tr-ur. L that firnt ** r -hall n t » . ”■• : to find Parlrarnert -t’”i n< m * rmeet early in Fcomtary. ” The i ••Star” .il<*< a*H,v-.i Sr 1.-, ph ; “first take counsel with the member* I of his pa»t. ami go.• :l - n : ami frank . •n-f.'l-’m-e ” it: Lt.. •*! ently «>f th*' Sr.tr' <:* jr i - decided on t . o.:r-.e - f * > ri'*i 'at ■ n. He left for the south Inst night anti a telegram a.iimnrn ■ - 'I "9 i a ntimber of southern mrinl. r* at > Christehur h. After ■ ■ the Prime Mi:*.-'•••■ w I ■ for Wellington to meet a i’’Ui f : from the tv-rti*