Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1925. THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 139, 16 May 1925, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1925. THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

The Gazette Extraordinary issued on Tuesday evening announcing that Sir Francis Bell had been sworn in as Prime Minister, in succession to the late Mr Massey, and that Ministers holding portfolios under their late chief had been confirmed in office, may be regarded as disclosing a purely tentative arrangement, pending the meeting of the Reform. Party, which it is understood will be held shortly to consider the political situation and to elect a new leader. Sir Francis Bell has so often acted as his late chief’s deputy during Mr Massey’s absence from the Dominion, and more recently during the sad period of the latter’s illness, that no reasonable objection can be advanced against his temporarily holding an office the duties of which he has been called upon to discharge so repeatedly . It is, we think, regrettable that it is not possible for Sir Francis to retain the office he has thus temporarily assumed. He has long borne the heat and burden of the day, and has proved a sagacious leader, and a veritable tower of strength to his colleagues—a wise counsellor and friend and one upon whom the utmost reliance could be always placed. If any man ever earned the right to occupy the position of Prime Minister of New Zealand Sir Francis Bell most certainly has, and no one is likely to begrudge him his appointment as the head of the Reform Ministry, with which he has been so prominently identified since its inception in 1912. There is a good deal of speculation concerning his probablo successor when the Ministry is reconstituted, as it must be before Parliament meets. The names of three or four members of the existing Ministry have been mentioned, and it may be accepted that the choice will be made from that number. The Hon. J. Gordon Coates seems to be first in the running. That gentleman’s record as an administrator is all in his favour, and must count when the selection is finally made. Mr Coatos has made good in the Public Works, Post and Telegraph and Railway Departments —a good drilling in public affairs—and in the administration of the lastnamed departments he has certainly established a reputation unsurpassed by any of his predecessors in their oversight. Mr Coates is what our American cousins would term a “gogetter.” Admittedly, he is lacking in the gift of oratory, but, nevertheless, he is a fairly shrewd speaker, quick to grasp a point and as quick to use it. At the same time he is very practical, and, like his late chief, is a tireless worker, filled with superabundant energy, and in both respects he has attained first rank amongst the administrators of the present century. The Hon. A. D. McLeod, the newest accession to the Ministry, has also been spoken of as a likely successor to Mr Massey. That gentleman, like Mr Coates, is a New Zealander and a product of the soil. He has made good in the Lands Department, but has, we gather, no hankering after the Prime Minister’s position, although, were it pressed upon him, he might be induced to take charge of the country’s affairs at the head of the Government, in which case he would certainly govern with diligence and discretion, t he Hon. W. Downie Stewart has also been spoken of, but the uncertain state of that gentleman’s health would be

the stumbling block in the way of his acceptance of the Premiership, did the party wish him to take it over. _ Sir James Parr is another likely aspirant for the office, but we are inclined to think that any of the three gentlemen mentioned would be preferred before him. If, as seems most likely, the Hon. Mr Coates takes over the position, u reconstruction of tlio Ministry is inevitable, and no doubt there will be considerable changes brought about by the re-allotment of the portfolios. Whether Mr Coates, or any other Minister at the head of the Government, will bo able to carry on when the House meets is a very open question. It depends entirely on the temper in which members meet the reconstructed Ministry. In any event it is not likely the session will he prolonged, and in the uncertain state of party politics very little legislation can be looked for. It is possible Ministers may content themselves with otbaining Supply to enable them to go to the country, although in the event of a possible pooling of interests of the two dominant parties in the State—Reform and Liberal-Labour —there being a strong feeling in favour of that course being adopted—a composite Ministry might succeed in carrying on until the usual time for the elections. Advocates of fusion have been rather active both, in Aucklnm l and Dunedin of late, but we are inclined to think that the churlish manner in which the Liberals met the overtures of the Reformers in Parliament in 1923 may considerably affect any conversations which may pass between the two parties concerned. The policy followed by the Liberals since the close of last session has not, moreover, been of a conciliatory character, and it is as likely as not that the personal ambitions of individual members of the Liberal Opposition may again operate against a coalescing of party interests. The position is scarcely likely to be cleared up without an appeal to the country, for, even if the new Reform Government survives the initial onslaught of its adversaries, its majority is so small that it cannot reasonably expect to carry other than purely noncontent ions measures during the coming session. As parties are at present constituted a rapprochement between the Reformers and Liberals appears somewhat remote. Mr Massey’s death has deprived the country of its ablest financier, and in selecting the Ron. Mr No3\vorthy to succeed him at the Treasury, Sir Francis Bell and his colleagues have set that gentleman a hard task. There are but few men in the House who have shown any great capacity for dealing with financial questions. Mr Downie Stewart is probably tie most capable in that direction, and Sir James Pa;r lias the analytical ability which is required for the position, but probably he is well content to leave matters in the hands of his colleague, the member for Ashburton, who may, or may not, have the opportunity of budgeting for next year’s requirements. So far as their administration is concerned Ministers may* reasonably claim that they have proved no less capable than their predecessors, and little or no fault can reasonably be found with them. There are, moreover, in the ranks of the party men of equal capacity who have only' to be afforded the opportunity to show what they are made of. On its past record, there is no reason to fear that, under its new leader, whoever he may be,. the policy of the Reform Party will be any less liberal than if lias been. On the contrary, we are inclined to think it will proceed along even more progressive lines than formerly, so far as the development o ' the country and the building up of its industries are concerned. But, whatever the future may have in store for Ministers and the new leader of the party (wllen the latter is chosen), an early appeal to the electors appears to offer the most reasonable solution of the existing difficult political situation.