POLITICAL PROBLEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18751, 3 January 1923, Page 5

POLITICAL PROBLEMS

MEETING OF GOVERNMENT PARTY NEXT WEDNESDAYS THE SHORT SESSION. ; HOPEFUL PROSPECTS. ANOTHER ELECTION MAY BE AVOIDED. (From Our Own Cobbespondent.i . AUCKLA l\u, January 2. . Members of the Government party will ; be invited to attend an important meeting ‘.i in Wellington next week. It is very pifobable, said the Prime Minister, that 'this conference will be held next Wednesday, when the position of the Governmentirtld ; the party in respect of the interesting ques-. ■ tion of administrative responsibilities -will, j be discussed. It is expected that the ’pro* ''■ jected short session of the new Parliament 7 will open about February 14 or 15. business necessarily will be formal, but. it will be none the less interesting for' that. ■. There are times when legislators can get—- : along very well without legislation, add the test session next month will be one of thole occasions. The subject of debate will be. the usual , Address-in-Reply to the Governor; General’s Speech, which will probably ..he ! a model for brevity. It is expected that the debate will last for about 10 parliamentary days before a decisive test of the parties is taken. It is as yet too soon to discuss with anyr thing like certainly the appointment of A ; new Speaker of the House, and a Chalmart , of Committees to replace the Reform mem- 1 bers who fell in the election bottle last month. Nominations will very likely represent political diplomacy, and there may ; be a distinct partv score in the selection, ntjj the Speaker, but the position at the is really a matter of conjecture." As regafcda : the strength of parties there is now good reason for anticipating a party division next " month that wall enable Government. -Id ; carry on with a fairly safe working majority... ; The party leaders very naturally do not care to discuss the prospect in detail, but as time passes the chances of another general election become more and more remote.. For > that and other reasons there is every b'kclr* ■ hood of the Government, retaining adminis- i trative control with a dependable majority.