POLITICAL NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9093, 12 July 1915, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES

THE "NATIONAL GOVERNMENT" PROPOSAL. The Prime Ministers and the leader of the Opposition had n further meeting on Saturday for the purpose of discussing the suggestion i jut forward by Mr Massey for the creat ion of a "National Government” to hol d office during tha period of the war. It is assumed that the Prime Minister ' put forward aa amended proposal iit view of the rejection by the Opposition Of _ his original suggestion for the .admission of three Opnosition mem ben i into a Cabinet of nine. The party loaders will meet again to-day. The weigh it of opinion in tho lobbies is still strongly against the likelihood of the coal ition scheme being given effect, thought morhbere are saying that the events of the. last few days have increased th © desire of the Government to share its responsibilities with, the Opposition. IN THE COLD. There ' was mil d indignation among Opposition m crullers yesterday when they learned that ; Ministers and Reform members had gone off in special trains to visit the new ■ ramps and observe the condition's under wliich the troops are now living. Opp osition members received no notice of the expeditions and no invitations to ac company the Ministers. A TROUBL; 5D ATMOSPHERE. Undoubtedly 1 jlie political atmospher* is less serene tl tan it was during the early days of tae session. The happenings of the last week in connection with the troops have shaken tho House of Representatives considerably, and there is a feeling in the lobbies that the rearrangement of . portfolios announced by the Prime Minister on Thursday night last cannot be 'regarded as an incident that is closed. At least two of the Government newspapers are demanding Cabinet rcconstnn ition in no uncertain tones. The ! deform; members do not pretend to be ia particularly happy ' al ’c ilv at the moment. "Anything might happen it the coalition negotiations fail, said an. old member yesterday, ‘'Remember 4 die division bell nas dot rung this session yet."