The Star. Delivered every evening by 6 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, OpunaKe, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, and Waverley. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1912. THE COMING SESSION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 26 June 1912, Page 4

The Star. Delivered every evening by 6 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, OpunaKe, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, and Waverley. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1912. THE COMING SESSION.

Parliament will be formally opened tomorrow, and will presumably be in the full swing of business next week. But what will that business be? This is a question of no ordinary interest, and of much practical arid immediate importance to the people of New Zealand. In view of all the facts, the first business of the House should, so it seems, consist in the evolution of a Ministry with a constitutional claim to the consideration of the country. This is, in effect, baying that Mr Mackenzie's -Government is without this claim. We have no desire to be captious, to split hairs, or to urgb extreme partisan objections to Mr Mackenzie or his colleagues, for we believe that they mean well by the country, and are capable of serving it, too, with a fair amount of success. But all experience has proved that the observance of constitutional principles is essential not only to effective, but to acceptable government, for unless it rests on the usual constitutional foundations a Government cannot lie truly a reflex of the public will or have the confidence of tbe people. Is Mr Mackenzie's Government in this position, is its existence in keeping with constitutional principles ? This question is much more important than any of the issues of current party politics, and should be examined and answered judicially, not in the narrow spirit of party, or with party ends in view. This can be done only by following what is called the historical method, and ascertaining the principles which are disclosed by the actual and vital facts of the case. When we follow this method in the present instance, what is it that we find? We do not put this question to political partisans, but to the fair-minded men and women of the country, as fair-mind-ed men and women. What is that these men and women find when they go back to the practical beginning of the present position? Is it not this: that at the time of the last general election the chief question for the people was a question of choice between the Liboral party, led by Sir Joseph Ward, and the Reform party, led by Mr Massey? As it happened, the result gave neither party a preponderating majority; but, in view of the previous absolute minority of the Reform party, and the very substantial majority or the Liberals, the polls inflicted a strong moral defeat on Sir Joseph Ward anil his followers. Constitution all v, the 1 remier should have resigned, because the country had withdrawn its old condolence from his Administration, and proportionately increased its confidence in the Reform party. Sir Joseph Ward, however, did not resign; but. after a lot of see-sawing in connection with two or three unstable votes there was a formal trial of strength in the flouse, and the Government won, but only nominally by the casting vote of the Speaker, and after Sir Joseph Ward had promised to retire from the leadership of the party. This really amounted to an endorsement of the verdict of the polls against Sir Joseph Ward and io- t ers- Then Parliament rose, and _ Sir Joseph and his colleagues stayed on in office till a caucus of the party was held—the party which had beeii morally defeated at the polls, and bad escaped defeat in the House only by the Speakers casting vote; and that caucus was summoned for the purpose ef electing a new leader. 'Was this not virtually another endorsement of the verdict of the polls; namely, that the Liberal party had ceased to be effective as a party, m consequence of the withdrawal of the public confidence ? Anyway, the caucus itself, after emerging'from its own turmoil of rivalries and acute antagonisms, devolved on Mr Thomas Mackenzie the task of forming a Ministry. However, as an instance of i what its turmoil must have, been, it should be remembered that Mr Roderick McKenzie,. Minister of Public Works in the Ward Government, personally resigned before Sir Joseph banded to the Governor the resignation of the Ministry as a whole; but, at the close^of the caucus this was clone; and Mr Thomas Mackenzie was sent for%y His Excellency. Yet this was brought about by a caucus, at war within itself and constituted by the members of a party in which the country had at the polls declared its loss of confidence However, Mr Mackenzie formed his Ministry, and- the only member of the Ward Government which it contained was himself, and, naturally, he took the Premiership. Here, again, we have mother endorsement of tbe verdict of IVe polls against Sir Joseph Ward and is colleagues; and, yet the new Go- • ynment itself did not stand on a con>itutional foundation, because it was ".-olved from a partisan vet divided uicus of the party which had been • morally, and, indeed--by one or two — numerically defeated at the' general 'lection. This is a fair historical ac-,.-ount of the means whereby New Zealand politics have been brought to the anomalous position in which they now =:tand;-. and the question now is whether Parliament, as at present constituted, can effect readjustments which will re-

suit in the establishment of an efficient and acceptable Government which will have substantially the confidence of the country. Publicly and privately much has been said about a coalition between members of the Mackenzie Government and the leading members of the Reform party, and it may be that something in this connection may be actually attempted on the opening of Parliament. It is probable .that the country would not seriously object to this, for what it chiefly needs at present is a Government strong enough to carry i)7i the public business in a business-like manner. The fact that the conditions have been against this since the general flection, and that they are still such as to occasion the gravest doubt in the matter, makes the situation one of exceptional interest, and importanceand it is safe to say that the majority of tbe electors would be pleased to see Parliament equal to the task of effecting adjustments substantially ir, keeping with the verdict of the last polls, and in the establishment of a Government strong enough to stand securely at least till the next general election two years and six months hence.