Manawatu Daily Times SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1923. MINISTERS AND ELECTIONS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2644, 12 May 1923, Page 4

Manawatu Daily Times SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1923. MINISTERS AND ELECTIONS.

The “ Post ” having taken an unconscionable time to think about the matter mildly reproves the Prime Minister for having played an active personal part in the Tauranga and Oainaru by-elections. It admits that Mr. Massey had ample precedent for leaving his office in Wellington to look after itself for quite a lengthy period, and going to the assistance of his friends in the two constituencies that had an opportunity to review the verdict they pronounced at the general election. “ But a custom may be old, and be as bad as it is old,” it says. “ It must be remembered that visits by Ministers at by-election times are

always liable to give rise to charges of the exertion of undue influence. In the heated atmosphere of a by-election a Minister cannot give anything or promise anything, even a half holiday for the school children, without being in danger of an accusation of bribery. Is it not better, then, that ho should keep clear of the troubled country ? ” In its conclusions, the “ Post” answers its own question in the affirmative. But the chief complaint made against the Minister’s electioneering tours was tha.t they brought much of the Impor-t-ant work of his departments to a standstill.. It is at least as much a compliment as it is a reproach to Mr. Massey to say that in his own person he constitutes seven-eights of the Government, even when the whole of his dolleagues are bearing their allotted share of the work of administration. How much he constitutes just now it would be hard to say. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister of Railways and Minister of Lands, is laid aside by a very serious illness, which may prevent him resuming his duties for many months to come, and meanwhile Mr. Massey, to all intents and purposes. will he administering his two very important departments. Then the final exclusion of Mr. Lee from Parliament has necessitated the appointment of a successor to him as Minister of Justice and Minister of External Affairs, and in addition to the worry of making a selection from a number of aspirants for office, the Prime Minister will have to carry a large part of his new colleague’s load for a time. It is true that ho has Sir Francis 801 l and Sir William Fraser at his side ready to tac/kle any odd job that comes along, but ho, has lost the sage advice and ready assistance of Sir William Herries, whose full knowledge and wide experience helped to tide Iho Government over many a critical period. No doubt the head of the Government is in an extremely difficult position. He has lost all the colleagues that sat with him in the House when he first reached the Treasury benches, ten years ago. Sir Frandls 8011, the leader of the Legislative Council, is the only one of the strong team that stood by him in 1912 still at his side. Sir William Fraser remains as a Minister without portfolio, the handy man of the Cabinet, so to speak, and his services are frequently called into requisition; but the rest of Mr. Massey’s colleagues are younger and less experienced men, who still have to develop the quality of leadership. In these aircumstanccs the Prime Minister finds the existence of his Government dependent upon the votes of three of his former political opponents, who are pledged to him no further than is implied by an undertaking to protect him from an attack by the Labour forces. Whether or not the situation Will allow him to acciept the urgent invitation of the.

Home authorities to attend the forthcoming Imperial Conference this year is a question still undecided, but there is a general feeling that the Dominion should be represented at such a gathering by no less a personage than the Prime Minister himself.