The Political Position.

Inangahua Times, 21 August 1913, Page 4

The Political Position.

THE BUDGET DEBATE

TIIM LIBERAL LEADERSHIP

STRENGTH OP PARTIES

(from Our Wellington Correspondent) WELLINGTON, August 16. » Will Sir Joseph Ward accept the ,; leadership of the Opposition? That is i the question of the day and moment. Sir Joseph was certainly prepared to oo so before ho left for England, provided the Liberals in the House agreed -to sink llieir differences and to present a united front to the Massey Government. But rumour—many tongucd—- • has it that Sir Joseph is by no means satisfied with the- position of affairs, nor with, the attitude of the party itself. The greater number of members supporting the' Opposition Party would of course, hail with delight Sir Joseph Ward's return to the leadership. Certain recalcitrant Liberals, who are reported to bo unwilling to again accept his leadership, have, however, to be reckoned with. Included in the number are at least two, if not three, South Island members, and then there arc the five Labour representatives to bo reckoned with. On a test division, the votes of four out of the live of the, latter would bo almost certainly cast against the present Government. But could Sir Joseph depend upon their votes when he had turned the Government out, assuming that he is in a position to do so, which is more than doubtful. The "tail" of the Party—the / .Labour section—contains the sting. It constitutes the real daugeer with which piesent-day Liberalism has to reckon. The Labour section is dominated, by ' the "Bed Feds" and the ''lied Eods" aspire to dominate the Liberals. Theii support can only be secured by the adoption of their programme. Sir Joseph Ward understands this. Hence, piobably, his "aloofness." Certainly, Sir Joseph Ward is in to hurry to disclose his hand. Neither at any of the public receptions accorded him, nor in the House, or elsewhere has he said anything to lead to belie/o that he will accept the vacant leadership. But as it is recognised that without him the Party must continue to go down, strenuous efforts are being made by Opposition members to enlist the sympathy and support of more than one Independent member of the House, and of one or two of the norc radical supporters of the Massey Government. It is pointed out that the Government has actually only a very small majority. There were 38 membors returned as supporters of Mr. Massey' and the Reform Party. Mr. Wilkinson's election for Egtnont, in the j place of the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie, J

gave the Party an additional vote. That made 31). Then there were the three Liberal freeholders—Mr. Gordon Coates, Mr. T. W. Rhodes and Mr. V. H. Reed—who supported Mr. Massey on his "no-confidence" motion against the Mackenzie Administration. These gentlemen brought the strength of the Government party up to 42, and, with the late Speaker in the chair, 43 votes were accounted for, leaving only 37

that could possibly be recorded against the Administration. The position is somewhat different now, for, with Sir Arthur Guinness gone, the Hon. F. \V. Lang (a Reform Party man) in the .hair, and Mr. P. C. Webb fdling the .seat for the Grey, the margin of votes in the- Government's favour is presumably reduced; hence tho anxiety with which attempts are being mado to aiienn.to tho support of tho IndopenI dents. But all the lobbying and wirepulling that is going on is not likely t.) affect a singlo Government vote, and, as already hinted, there are two or three men on the Opposition side of t!k> House who will vote against Sir Joseph Ward on every occasion. -Thus, all hough a no-confidence motion may I.:-; sprung upon the House at any time during tho debate on the Financial Statement, there is very little, if any,; prospect of the Government's position being successfully assailed. Another factor which has to be reckoned with, in determining the votes of members on a no-confidence motion,

11 is tho possiblo dissolution of fl j. House, and an appeal to the countr . as the outcome of an adverso vote. the House were sent to the country t n morrow,, members would inevitab . lose their seats, tho Member for Ave amongst thorn. While it is by no meai certain that tho Reform Party cand date would unseat Mr. Russell, it : . an open secret that the Prohibitioi [ Employers' registered associations ;» iand, as tho latter will also stand i tho Liberal interest, the splitting ( votes is more than likely to lead to M I Russell's undoing. This much has t bo said, however, in Mr. Russell's fav j our. Personal considerations are no i likely to affect his voto in a no-confi denco motion. But there are othe members on the Opposition side whos< . seats are equally shaky; and, knowinf tho consequences, they are likely t( think seriously, before placing the Government in tho position in wind their only alternative would be an ftppeal to the country. And thus, although the Opposition is endeavouring to work up a political crisis, it is hardly likely, if it occurs, to bo of serious magnitude. The debate on the Financial Statement is nevertheless likely to be protracted, but it should leave the Govemmont unscathed. The debate on the Financial Statement opened tamely enough on Wednesday. If, as has been alleged, there is "nothing in tho Budget," there was really less in tho criticisms of Mr. W. 0. S. Macdonald, tho Member for tho Ray of Plenty, who was selected to "lead off" on behalf of the Opposition. A lamer, or moro ineffective, speech has not been heard in tho Hon so on any similar previous occasion. r J.ho hon. gontleman, when ho was r.ot quoting the Budget figures, and Mr. Arthur Myers in contradiction, .'barged tho Government with neglecting to do the things that the Liberal Government had not seen fit to do during ils twonfcy-one years' term of office, ni.d attested the weakness of I ho Opp>vi!ion position by his practical admissions flint I lie ihifij'H I ho Reform Gov-

ornmeni W /ailed to accomplish Lad boon neglected by the .Liberals foi' "years and years." Criticism has a two-edged effect, as Mr. Macdonald probably realised before he finished his address. Speaking of the .salaries paid to Native Court •Indies, ho said they had b.-t :i "kept down for years and years,'' and yet the Government was cloinp; nothing to ineroaso their salaries, although they received loss than some magistrates were paid, who had less responsibility. Mem born on the Government side of the House naturally laughed at the practical admission by the Member for the Bay of Plenty, that the old Liberal Government had not dono its duty in this respect, and at his clumsy attempt to saddle the Reform Government with the responsibility. The Hon. W. Fraser, although not occupying nearly as much time as the Member for the Bay of Plenty, made a very e.ective reply to Mr. Al'aedonald's criticisms. His utterances were wholly dispassionate; he spoke without heat or prejudice, and therefore proved all the more effective in his points. Mr. Eraser alluded to the "commitments" made by the late Government, and to the short-dated loans that will be tumbling in during the next few years, and scored unmistakeably when pointing out that, as a result of the actions of its predecessors the Reform On-eminent would have to float nearly twelve millions of money

next year. Mr. Buddo followed Air. Eraser. Ho speaks with greater freedom than the Minister .for Public Works, but is certainly less scrupulous in his method of handling figures. Ho spoke aeriely enough of moneys falling due next July as not being required for the next eighteen or twenty months, and so on.

If effective criticism is needed to destroy a Government, Mi'. Buddo is not the man for the job. The Westport Harbour Board appointments have loomed large in Die public eye, as a result of the inquiry before tho Special Parliamentary Committee, set up to investigate Mr. Afcir>ore's charges against the Minister for Marine, in connection with tho appointment of Mr. Simpson, of Karamea, as a member of the board. The •cnimittee .sat on Tuesday and Wednesday, and considered its report on the afternoon of that day. The evidence, while supporting Mr. Atm ore's statement that Mr. Simpson had been convicted of certain offiences, under the Police- and Licensing Acts, failed utterly to show that the Minister knew anything of the convictions of which so much has been made. Tho general feeling is that Mr. Atmoro figures very badly in the business, and that Mr. Fisher's refusal to displace Mr. Simpson is more than justified. The Opposition is plainly disappointed with the Government, which is far too Liberal in its ideas to suit the party that has long claimed to have a monopoly of Liberal principles. Even the Public Trust Bill could not be allowed to go through without thinly-veiled ] hints of sinister action, on the part ot ] the Government, against tho Public ; Trust Office, the inception of which, j Mr. Hterdman reminded tho House, j was due, not to the Liberals, but to j the so-called "Tories," the author of j the Public Trust Act being the Hon. K. C. J. Stevens. The refusal of tho |

(Government to enlarge the functions ! of the office, so its to make it a sort of j "poor men's lawyer," was taken by • the Opposition as an evidence of theGovernment's desire to protect tlio lef*al profession at the expense of the public, whereas the extra cost of administration which would bo placed upon the office by the adoption of tho principle advocate, would mean that the interest paid upon estates administered by the office would be materially lessened, and thus the public would I suffer. If, as Mr. Laurenson and others claim, a "poor men's lawyer" j u indispensable to tho prosperity rf ' the State, such a notice should be provided altogether a part from the Public Trust Department. I