LEGISLATION WHICH MUST BE PASSED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3415, 29 August 1919, Page 24

LEGISLATION WHICH MUST BE PASSED.

"FOLLOW MY LEADER." WELLINGTON, August 22. In reply to further questions this morning, Mr Massey said he could as. yet make no statement as to the' reconstruction of the Ministry, which would take place in the near future. There would, so far as he knew, be no postponement of the session. As to whether the session would be short or long, he could not say what members would, do. He wanted to do as much business as possible in the time at his disposal, and there was plenty waiting. There was legislation which must be passed, and Parliament would be asked to deal with essential measures. Besides Supply and the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, there was the validation of the Peace Treaty. That would probably not take long, but it must be • done. The administration of Samoa would not require much legislation, but they wished to get it dealt with as soon as possible. The Liberal Ministers are all following Sir Joseph Ward's lead, and tendering their resignations. The Hon. W. D. S. MacDonaM to-day resigned the portfolios of Agriculture, Mines, State Fire Insurance, Tourists and Health Resorts, and Legislative. When asked for a statement, he said:—"Anything I can do to. help until there is a reconstruction of the Ministry I am prepared to do. All the heads of departments are very competent men, and no doubt Mr Massey will get all the assistance he requires from them." The Hon. A. M. Myers has resigned the portfolios of Customs, Coal Control, and National Provident Fund. "I have followed my leader," was all he said. The Hon. T. M. Wilford has resigned as Minister of Marine, Justice, and Stamp Duties. "I am going back to work at my office in Stout street," was his statement. The Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Public Health and Internal Affairs, said: "When the National Government was formed in August, 1915, we entered it as members of the Liberal Party. It having been decided that the Liberal Party shall withdraw from the Government, I, of course, will retire under the arrangement that was made four years ago. There are several very important matters which I have been unable to clear up, and consequently I shall not be ready to present my resignation until Monday next. By that time these matters will have been completed, and on Monday next I shall hand my resignation to his Excellency the Governor-general. More than this at "present I do not feel disposed to say." The Hon. J. A. Hanan, Minister of Education and Friendly Societies, said he was sending in his resignation, and to-day was busily engaged endeavouring to clear up.

MR MASSEY'S DIFFICULTIES. WELLINGTON, August 22. Mi Massey has made the following additional statement: —The decision of Sir Joseph Ward and his colleagues to retire from the Government, and thereby terminate the existence of the National Government formed in 1915, under agreement of the two principal parties in the House of Representatives, was publicly announced some months ago, but no intimation was given then or since until th 0 20th inst.

whether the consequent disruption was intended to take place before the session of Parliament convened by the National Government for the despatch of business on the 28th inst. SoiTio of the most important public departments, such as Treasury, Public Health, Mining, Education, and Justice have been, since 1915, continuously under the control of those Ministers who have now announced their resignations. The remaining Ministers have not intervened in the internal work of such departments, nor in departmental policy except in cases where decisions of Cabinet have been called for, and the present position is therefore, in respect of those departments, similar to that which occurs on a change of Government, but with the grave exception that the remaining Ministers have not the time, always allowed to an incoming Government, to make themselves acquainted with the methods of the departments and the requirements of the country. In regard to matters which those departmentscontrol, they are called upon to meet Parliament in less than a week hence, and assume responsibility for the work of many months' past without the aid of the several Ministers who have directed it. PRESS AND OTHER OPINIONS. The step taken by Sir Joseph Ward has not been well received in Wellington. The Dominion takes Sir Joseph to task for breaking the alliance, and refers to his programme as "a plunge for popularity." The Post regards Sir Joseph's -action as inopportune and unfriendly. The New Zealand Times considers Sir Joseph's programme was issued at the psychological mome-nt. Labour leaders in Christchurch charge Sir Joseph Ward with appropriating a number of the planks of the Labour platform, but they do not think he has the slightest idea of carrying them out. The question is asked why Sir Joseph has completely changed his views about a State bank,"a thing ho had often opposed as "rotten in principle."