CABINET AND PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14930, 1 March 1912, Page 6

CABINET AND PARLIAMENT.

The • prorogation . of Parliament leaves the political s situation in as critical and unsatisfactory a state as ever. The Government has managed to avoid defeat only by the barest f possible margin and upon terms which render its reconstruction immediately, imperative. Sir Joseph Ward voluntarily announced his intention and determination to withdraw from the Premiership, while .were further assisted to ignore their pledges by the distinct understanding that a general reconstruction of the Cabinet would take place. Even with this inducement to grant a reprieve from ' the death-warrant issued by the electors in December, Parliament was equally divided on the no-confidence motion, the ; Government retaining office only by the casting vote of the Speaker. Under the circumstances, the country had every right to demand of Parliament that before adjournment for a prolonged period it should know who will administer . the public business in the interval. The present Cabinet does not possess the confidence of the country, and it is clearly to.be deduced from the character of the debate, from the admission of the: Prime Minister, .and

from the expressed feeling of those who saved the Government on Tuesday night, that it does, not possess the confidence of Parliament. It is distinctly against public policy and constitutional precedence that the session called to consider the political crisis should have been closed 'with, its work thus unfinished. For four months the administration of the Dominion, with all its great public interests , and important services, is to be left in the j hands of a Cabinet whose permanent composition is unknown. No ; excuse can be offered for such a proposal. Every potential member of a reconstructed Cabinet is in Wellington, and Sir Joseph Ward had the fullest opportunity to learn what steps should be taken to placate his dissatisfied Parliamentary supporters and whether a Government could be got together which could hold its own on another division. The situation is an extraordinary one, and justifies the criticism that the Government is. clinging to office in defiance of sound precedence and without regard to the constitutional maxim that the advisers of the Crown must have the support and confidence of Parliament, for it is quite possible, and even probable, that when the Cabinet is reconstructed— a few hours or a few weeks may. be one which could not survive a single division.