POLITICAL AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8186, 30 July 1912, Page 1

POLITICAL AFFAIRS.

HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP.

PREMIER TO MAKE STATEMENT TO-MORROW.. There are as yet not many members of Parliament in town. They will be. inn to arrive in force to-morrow, ana Wednesday should sco a “lull house in tho representative chamber. Amongst those who arc present the keenest interest is manifest in to' will bo praotically the opening or the ■session under tho new regime. . There is little donht as to its being both lively and interesting from start to finish. Tho absence of cohesion amongst those who formerly »d the compact and dominant Liberal Party will probably produce a veritable host of free-lances in debate, alio will doubtless exorcise their freedom as fully as possible to the embarrassment cf the Government. . Trouble will probably arise at the nutset if the explanation regarding tho delay in tho appointment of a High Commissioner is not satisfactory. it was understood last week that the first business transacted by tint Cabinet when it met on Tuesday last would be tho appointment of that high functionary. Then it was stated that Cabinet could not deal definitely with the matter until all members of the Ministry wore present. All members at last being gathered together, it was decided that nothing definite could bo done until the following Monday (yesterday) os it was a question requiring tho Executive to settle.

The Executive met yesterday morning, Tmt nothing could be ascertained nn the subject beyond a declaration that the P?lme Minister (Hou. W. I l '. Massey) would make a statement when the House ihot or} "Wednesday afternoon.

After the Cabinet meeting yesterday evening, lasting an hour and a half, Mr Massey informed a “New Zealand Times’' representative that the question of the High Comraissionership was practically settled, but ho could give no information on tho subject until ho made his statement to the House when it assembled on Wednesday.

That statement will doubtless bo looked forward to with more than ordinary interest. Upon its character will probably depend tho character of tho first important debate of the resumed session.

In regard to the general business of the Cabinet meeting Mr Massey said ft was mainly of a routine character, and there was nothing that ho could give to the press respecting it. The Legislative Council will have little to do lor somo time. On Wednesday Bir_ Maurice O'Rorke will ask a question which l has been frequently asked by him, namely—“ Whether the Government will introduce a Bill to restore to the old provinces of New Zealand the powers conferred on them by the Imperial Act of 1852.”' The answer is obvious. _ There are one or two notices of motions for returns and some for the sotting up of committees, after which there will be a business blank until the House sends the Council somo business. TEe Prime Minister hopes to bo able to submit his Budget to Parliament on August 15th (Tuesday next). Ho says *'lt will not necessarily embrace the whole of the ideas wo have for the welfare ot the Dominion.” He quite expects Parliament to last till tho middle of October. Ho is not going in for driving tactics or long hours. He has even received communications from the editors of journals that had been opposed to tho Reform party for years, wishing him success and stating that, to •use their own words, they were prepared to give him a fair run and a square deal.

THE PEOPLE’S WILL

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S VIEWS.

PARTY IN POWER REPRESENTS A MINORITY.

\ PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, July 29, Interviewed this morning concerning the political situation, Sir Joseph Ward said there was no doubt that the present extraordinary position in regard to the polities of the country could only bo finally adjusted by the people of the Dominion themselves. To discuss tho position from a party standpoint revealed ' a peculiar, yet clear, aspect, inasmuch as tho party representing the minority of votes in New Zealand was the party in power to-day. That was undeniable, and it constituted a unique political position without parallel, so far as his knowledge served. In his opinion such an ■unnatural state of affairs could not continue for long unless the people themselves desired it. In tho meantime the representatives of the people had the power to either maintain or alter the existing conditions. Ho believed that the majority in New Zealand would continue, and that-the majority rule by the voice of the people alone would enable the country to be constitutionally governed sooner or later; therefore, the will of the people would have to be sought and obtained.

1 Asked his opinion of the all-impor-tant division of a fortnight ago, Sir Joseph replied that naturally one regretted to see men who were returned as supporters of the Liberal party crossing over to help that party’s opponents at the time of a political crisis. No man worth his salt in politics or any other walk of life objected to being beaten in a fair fight, but it was quite a different thing when a party was defeated with the assistance of those who were returnee! as its friends and supporters. He was not making any personal complaint against flny individual member, but there were some who would have to make good their actions in the ripeness of time before their constituents.

. Sir Joseph loaves by the Main Trunk express for 'Wellington to-night, and will be present at the re-oponinw of Parliament on Wednesday. Ho declined to discuss the position in' regard to the leadership of the Opposition, but spoke

optimistically of the future prospects of tho Liberal party.

THE PAST AND THE FUTURE. UNITY AND ORGANISATION URGED. SPECIAL TO THE "TIMES.”

AUCKLAND, July 29. Sir Joseph Ward. in opening the new Trades Hall, made an. interesting reference to the ixditical position. “It is my intention to make a statement this evening concerning the politi,cal position in this country which I have not before made in public," declared Sir Joseph. He outlined the position which arose after the last general election. The strength of the parties was then so close that no one could say who had a majority aud whd had not. •Within a week of the state of the polls being disclosed he came to the conclusion that Parliament should be called together at once in order to ascertain the position, of parties. Every member of his Ministry was averse to calling Parliament together for an early session. He met gatherings of members in each island. In every case it was urged upon him that ho should not do as he contemplated, believing that the party was sure of a majority. Finally Parliament was called together in February, and on the costing vote of tho Speaker the party remained in power. What happened early in tho present month was known to them all. The party which had so long been known as tho Opposition went into power because of the defection of those who were returned as supporters' of the Liberal party, and since then there had been some people who had gone about with their "ear in I a sling" declaring that he was in some way to blame for what had happened. What ho said was that every member of the Liberal party should accept his share of the responsibility. (Applause.) Ho had no qualms regarding the political position in this country. As to the adjustment of the future, he would be a Solomon of Solomons if he could say who was going to rule, but he would say ono tiling, with firm conviction: When an appeal to the people did take place the common-sense of the workers would prevail. (Loud applause.) If they realised their responsibilities there was no reason why they should not again control the Government of this country. They had, however, to be on their guard in ono important direction. They had an instance of what he had in mind in that day’s cablegram giving the result of tho Crewo by-election. There a Conservative candidate had been returned on a minority vote because of a LiberalLabour split. In this country majorities would have to rule. (Hear, hear.) Tho Second Ballot Act had been introduced in New Zealand with tho very best intentions, but they had to recognise its abuses and deficiencies, and a substitute would have to be found. When the time arrived for tho people of Now Zealand to adjust the present political position ho believed they would look back on the great Liberal-Labor record, and no matter to What extent the stream had been diverted they would do the right thing. There was no reason why there should not bo a direct representative of Labor in the Government. It meant getting back to tho old truth that united they stood, divided they would fall. At the last election they had not been as united as of yore. One section thought things were going too fast, another that they were not going fast enough, so there ■was chaos, and the success of the Conservatives at the polls was the result. Let them now organise. It was generally admitted now that they were badly organised last December. If they acted on lines of sanity, safety, and progress, he predicted that the next general election would sweep back into the fold Liberal and Laborites, who would rule Ibis country for the next generation ■Loud applause.)

The Wellington correspondent of the “Hastings Standard" (Masseyite) has been hearing some curious things at headquarters. He says:—Then again it appears, though little is being said about it, that the Government is keeping a very close eye on the public service. During the Ballance, Seddon, and Ward regimes, hundreds of appointments were made which at the time were severely commented on by what was then the Opposition and is now the Government. Not all of these were bad, some were unexceptionable, but there is no doubt there i* latent in the minds of the late Opposition the idea that the time has now come for the redress of grievances in this respect, and that the fat sow will no longer be ‘'teased.