THE POLITICAL ARENA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 79, 30 March 1912, Page 6

THE POLITICAL ARENA.

WHAT MR. VELTCTi THINKS. (Per Press Association.) Wanganui, March 30. Interviewed regarding the political situation, Mr. A'eitch, Labour member for Wanganui, declined either to criticise or extol the Ministry, saying tuat when they brought down their platform and_ showed what they were going to do it would be time enough to judge them. At the same time, there were outstanding features which could not bo overlooked. One was that no loss than four portfolios were allotted to Canterbury. Another was that in the portfolios of Finance, Defence, and Railways Mr. Myers had been given enough work to keep at least three industrious men fully employed. He thought the time had arrived when either the number of Ministers should be increased or Parliamentary Undersecretaries appointed to assist them. He said that though a number of newspapers stated that he had been ottered a portfolio and predicted his inclusion'lit the Cabinet, the fact was that he received no such offer. To his mind the situation of the past, few weeks clearly showed the necessity, for the adoption of an elective Ministry, but there was. not much hope of tiie present Parliament carrying it, a majority being opposed to it. He thinks Cabinet should just giyp attention to electoral reform and pass the proportional system of representation.' ‘ DSGTATOR PAYNE. POLITICAL APPLE-CART TO BE AGAIN UPSET. r ‘ THE 1 CLAIMS OF : LABOUR. 1 ’ (Per Press Association.) Napier, March 30. There is a likelihood of Mr. Payne, ALP- for Grey Lynn,'dizain becoming the determining factor in! the political situation-.r He is dissatisfied/with .the nek’ Cabinet, on ,the grounds that it, is not sufficiently progressive, and does not include a Labour member. For those reasons he will vote against the Administration and give Mr. Massey an opportunity of demonstrating the sincerity of his professions of sympathy towards Labour.