The North Otago Times WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1917. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13940, 25 July 1917, Page 4

The North Otago Times WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1917. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

In the course of his speech on the Addrcss-in-Reply yesterday afternoon, Mr G. W. Forbes, member for Hunmui, touched upon a topic which is exercising the minds oi 1 nearly all private members of Parliament. Mr Forbes referred to the rumours which were abroad regarding' the disunion amongst the members of the National Cabinet. These rumours had been referred to by the member for IlaAvkejs Hay, and unless allayed, he thoitglit there was» dagger of the National Government becoming wrecked, The .member for Huriimii further stated that he thoughfnthe Liberal side of the GabincC was . .not receiving sufficient 'Consideration, and lie instanced the neglect to inform fjir Joseph Ward of the Sccand Division deputation a few days ago. Mr Forbes thought Ministers should take members more fully into their confidence and he suggested a secret sesisou where, members could have a round table conference on war'matters. Late'' in the debate the lion. A. L. Herdman replied to Mr Forbes. The Minister criticised the reference-.: to the dissension in the Cabinet, characterising such statements a;, likely to create dissension rather than remove it. It was also claimed by the Minister that the Government 'was taking members into their confidence as much as possible and was giving the House all the information it was advisable '0 make public under present circumstances. Despite the Minister's somewhat emmsy attempt to blufi the llousGjit is becoming more and more evident that the. political situation is shaping towards a crisis, unless the National Cabinet- comes to its senses and gives fuller recognition to the rights of private members. The Government seems to regard the ordinary members oi' the House a:; necessary evils which have to be tolerated but not regarded Avith any consideration, Ilence the appearance of the cloud in . the heavens no bigger than a man's hand—a cloud, which forebodes [rouble. We are assured upon unimpeachable authority that many private members are becoming restive under the irksome conditions of the parliamentary life of the ordinary private member which now prevail. Indeed the man in the street lmoAvs as much about the political affairs of the Dominion as do private members. Hence the demand, reiterated almost- daily, that more information be given the House. There is no :loubt that the private members'of the llouso are beginning t« feel the sorry position most acutely. Questions are" asked only to be ignored; requests are made'for information, and .the Ministers are :is inscrutable a> the Sphinx. But ev6n the most loyal ordinary member of the House has not un-'imiled-patience, and -Ave understand that a strongly-supported '.nov'ement is on foot to form an organisation of. private members. The object of the organisation is :o protect the rights of private ■'iienibers, and to demand an acknowledgment by the National Cabinet that private members are entitled to take part in the business of law-giving. The proposal originated among the Liberal members of the House, but a fair sprinkling of other parties are expected to associate • themselves; with'the "new move. There is no suggestion of organised obstruction to the National Cabinet, but simply ail organised effort; to attempt to impress upon the National .Cabinet the fact that even

private members, of the \ have .their inalienable rights, and those rights nuist be, respected., Evidende is hot lacking that the" Liberal ! members of the Cabinet arc being slighted and Mr Massey and his colleagues are not playing the game to the full. The instance. quoted by Mr Forbes is. true in : every respect. Ten days before the opening of the Second Division Conference, the promoters approached the Government and asked that jth'e Prime 'Minister, the Minister of Finance,, and the Minister of Defence should receive a mass deputation from tlie Conference. No appointment was arranged until the last day of. the. Conference and then after some rather stinging criticism of the procrastination' - of the Government had been voiced. Eventually the Prime Minister agreed to meet the Conference late in the afternoon, and although the delegates expressed a wish ( to meet the three Ministers mentioned above, the deputation was re-' ceivcd by Mr Massey. Several members of the deputation were rather surprised that Sir Joseph Ward was not in attendance, but subsequent inquiry elicited the fact that the Minister of Finance knew nothing of the deputation and had not been invited by the Prime Minister to attend, norwitlistanding Mr Massey's "explanation"; and it should Ijc noted that only one deputation from the Second \Division Conference wished to interview the Ministers. The mere assertion by the' Hon. A. L. Herdinan that dissension docs not exist in the Cabinet fails to disprove an established fact, and it is quite true that Cabinet is not a happy family; and what'is more significant, the rank and file of politicians are restive and dissatisfied.