WHAT NOW ?

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 64, 29 February 1912, Page 4

WHAT NOW ?

Following open the no-confidence division of Tuesday evening the sitting of the House this afternoon i* attracting keen interest. The House was apparently adjourned until 2.3 U this afternoon for two reasons. Fii.itlv, foi the purpose of allowing the Payne Allegation Committee to conclude its investigations, and secondly. to give Sir Joseph M ard breathing time to pull himself and his party together after their ignoble victory. Sir Joseph Ward's position reminds us of. a sketch which once appeared in an illustrated journal. An elderly gentleman who had been taking a few lessons in jui-jitsu was attacked by a burly ruffian. Quick as thought the elderly gentleman went through the first exercise and thiew the ruffian and sat on top of him, but in the excitement he had forgotten the second movement, which will enable him to hold his assailant down after’having thrown him. So with Sir Joseph Ward. He has thrown the Opposition in the first encounter knit it will be difficult for him now to employ tactics which will keep himself on top. The first tiouble confronting him is what to do with himself. He has promised, or imlicated. or let it. be understood, that he has no intention of remaining as leader of the party. In the face of the fact that he owes bis present position as Premier to brokci? pledges it. would hardly surprise the ccuntiy to see that-, “for good and sufficient reasons lie had decided io *tay at. the head of the party for the purpose of placing upon the Statute Book that progressive and humane legislation of which a majority of the people had shown their appreciation.” Any such excuse may serve th" purpose. If Sir Joseph does not res’gi; from his position the party will be up to its neck in trouble almost- imme Lately. They will he faced by the task of reconstruction and in the fulfilment of this obligation forced upon tbmn by the pledgebreakers there is going to be some keen dissatisfaction caused in the Liberal camp. Who is going to cake the position supposed to be vacated by Sii- Joseph Mr. Millar, who is ohe of the strongest Ministers, has openly expressed his desire for the possession of the Prime Ministers' office, and from what people know of AH'. Millar he is not likely to submit to a shelving process without protest. Another member in tlie Cabinet who possesses th? brains hut lacks all other qualifications. is Sir James'Carroll. Sir James,, would certainly not he acceptable to the parky as a leader for many reasons, but if he could shake off the “dolce far nient?" so characteristic of his nature there are few men in the House who stand his intellectual superiors. Fail in g these two Ministers there is Air. T. Mackenzie. but we cannot see in ties gentleman the grip and power which is necessary to keep a party together over months of stiff fighting. Outside the Cabinet there have brin rumoured selection*, such as Alessrs. Laurenson. Russell, Afters, Alacdonald. and others, but it is

rathe)’ peculiar that while in the plenitude of Sir Joseph's power these men were not considered worthy of subordinate Ministerial rank, they should now be suggested as the Leaders of a forlorn hope. If they are selected new ii will give another illustration of the fact that Sir Joseph deliberately refrained from using the best material at his hand to form a strong, sound Ministry when he had the power. What would be the position then, if endeavouring to avoid trouble by appointing a new leader, the party prevailed upon Sir Joseph Ward to retain office. It would assuredly mean that on the first division the Government would go out and Mr. Massey would be given a far better chance of forming a stable Government than at present. It is plain enough that Sir Joseph Ward is unpopular in the country, but it is idle to overlook liis political ability, and his party will have some trouble in replacing him as a leader. Turn which way Government will, trouble looms ahead and the dissolution which approaches has a further shock of tribulation in store for them. If Sir Joseph Ward had acted the part of a sportsman, resigned long ago and let Mr. Massey “face the music” of the new House, he would have been in a far better position. In such circumstances he could have gone to the country with the wounds of a fair but losingfight upon him. As it is now he has only discredited himself and his party in the constituencies.