THE POLITICAL SITUATION

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11522, 18 May 1923, Page 4

THE POLITICAL SITUATION

"ONE-MAN GOVERNMENT.*' It ia at least as much a compliment as it is a reproach to Mr Massey to say that in his own person he constitutes seven-eightlm ot the Government ‘j>ays the Wanganui “Herald), even when Hie whole of his colleagues are bearing their niioted share of th© work of admmi&lra tion. How much he constitutes just now it would 'be hard to say. The Hon. U H. Guthrie, Minister of Railways and Minister of Lands, is laid aside by a very serious illness, and meanwhile Mr Massey, to all .intents and purposes, will be oidmimsteniijj his two very important Departments. Then the final exclusion of Mr Lee from Parliament has necessitated tho 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 purl of his new colleague’s load for a time It is true that he has Sir Francis Bell and Sir ‘William Eraser at his side ready to tacklo any odd job that comes along, but. ho has lost, the sago advice a(nd ready assistance of fifcr William

Herries, whose full knowledge and wirio experience helped to tide tho Government j over many a critical period. j A .DIFFICULT ‘POSITION. No doubt the head of the Government is in an extremely difficult position. He » has lost all his colleagues that sat with | him in the House when he first reached ! the Treasury Benches ten years ago. Sir ! Francis Bell, the leader of the Legisla I live Council, is the only one of the strong 1 team that stood by him in 1912 siill a 1 | h.'s side* Sir William Fraser romainr* !as a Minister without portfolio, the j handy man of the Cabinet, so to speak, : and his sendees arc frequently called ; into requisition; but the rest of Mr Massey’s colleagues aro younger and loess ex- ! perienced mon, who still have to develop ’ tho quality of leadership. In these circumstances the Prime Minister fimLs 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 hv the Labour forces. Whether or not the situation will allow him to accept the urgent invitation of the Home j authorities to attend the forthcoming ! Imperial Conference this year is a ques- < tion still undecided.