THE NEW MINISTRY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 94, 3 April 1912, Page 5

THE NEW MINISTRY.

POSITION DISCUSSED BY MR. MASSEY. ASPECTS OF THE SITUATION. [per press association.? Auckland, April 2. Several aspects of the political situation were discussed by the leader of the Opposition (Mr. W. F. Massey) in an interview to-day. When the reconstruction of the Government was announced Mr. Massey was travelling in Taranaki, and his return to Auckland to-day afforded the first opportunity for a pressman to ascertain his opinions upon the new Ministry. “So far as lam able to judge,” said Mr. Massey, “the position is thoroughly well understood. The people see a set of men in power who have got there as a result of methods which are not creditable to them, and are certainly not creditable to the country. These men make up a Ministry without any opinions on which its members are agreed, and so far as it is possible to judge without a majority behind it. Therefore it appears as a Ministry which does not possess the confidence of the country, and which is apparently afraid to face the House until the last possible moment. The new Ministry has advised the Governor to prorogue Parliament until June 27th. That date falls on a Thursday. The Government has no power to spend money after June 30th, so it will ask for supply on Friday. June 28th. and the real business of the session will not commence until the following week or the beginning of July. I am confident that such tactics will not commend themselves to the right-thinking people of the community, and I also express the opinion that no Ministry worthy of the country would adopt them.”

Discussing the position of the Opposition, Mr. Massey said that the Reform Party, both outside Parliament and inside, was never more determined and never more enthusiastic than-it is to-day. “There was a feeling of disappointment as a r-uilr of the want of confidence motion during the short session.” he remarked, “but that has been succeeded by a determination to have sentenced at the bar of public opinion those who did the wire pulling, who brought pressure to bear on inexperienced members, and who are in that and other respects responsible cr one of the darkest pages in the political history of New Zealand.” Asked if he could give seme indication of the future tactics of the Reform Party, Mr Massey said he could hardly answer that question. “AH I can say,” he added, “is that we shall do our duty to the country to the best of our ability and judgment. When the time comes for a majority to place us on the Treasury benches, we shall not shirk our responsibilities. and let me assure you that when we get there, there will be no hiding behind a fence. The present Ministry is now in the humiliating nosition in which I foresaw it would be landed by the unworthy tactics employed by its party prior to and during last session. It is prob.nbh’ hist as well that it should remain here for some little time to come. What has happened and what is hapnening suits us exactly. ’ POSSIBILITY OF A DISSOLUTION. Auckland. April 2. The possibility of a dissolution was discussed by the leader of the Opposition during an interview to-day. “My own opinion is that these will be no election for some time.” said Mr. Massey. “Still it is well to be -eadv for a general election, and, by the way, one of the most encourag■ng indications is the fact that in several districts where, on rhe list occasion, the Reform Party Lad a difficulty in securing candidates rood men have already announ :'d themselves to me as willing *o cyme 'orward at the first opportuu . SIR JOSEPH NOT GOING OUT OF PUBLIC LIFE. In the course of his remarks at a presentation at the Treasury Department, Wellington, last night, Sir Joseph Ward said he was not going out of New Zealand. He wanted to make that clear, because some people had stated that he was going to travel to some other part of the world and take up his residence there. I am not, he added, going out of public life in this country for many years to come.