NATIONAL CABINET.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1915, Page 5

NATIONAL CABINET.

-NOTIIIXCI YET DECIDED, ill!. ALLEN'S .MISTAKES. OLTOSITIOX liAXKb' AtiAINST C'OAIJTIOX. (Special to Xews.) Wellington, Last Night. Lhe eoalition negotiations are still ' proceeding. The I'rimu Minister and the Leader of tlic Opposition had a long meeting ]ust night, and to-morrow the members of the Opposition will meet in caucus, presumably to hear what Sir Joseph Ward has to report. There is an impression in some quarters that niter the general condemnation of the original offer to the Opposition of three seats in a Cabinet of nine, Mr. Massey has approached Sir Joseph Ward with a more generous proposal. The suggestion is made that the Liberals arc being offered four seats in a uibinct of nine, or five seats in a Cabinet of eleven. \ our correspondent's impression is tliat ' the discussion of the coalition proposal y as resumed by the iparty leader-; with--it any definite basis in the form of a new offer, and that what has been proceeding is ati f exchange of views re* 1,1 yarding the general relations of the ~ parties during the war period. >' The Opposition, or eight-tenths of it, ■ is definitely opposed to coalition, atul 'i the feeling within the part ; is bound <o be reflected in the attitude of the ' leader. Several of the prominent menil>'Ts of the Opposition are in favor of a scheme of co-operation for war pur- • ' through the channel offered by the Secret Defence Committee. This idea has been mentioned in these notes before and it appears to offer the parties a way out of a difficult situation. '' If there is no coalition, - and if the; part11 leaders cannot arrange to transfer some share of administrative responsibility to the Secret Defence Committee, Mr. Massey mav have to reconstruct his Cabinet, The Government members- do not attempt to disguise their belief that the Minister of. Defence has blundered badly, and one " hears constantly that he is to be regard- ' ed as resnonsihle for the present troubles of his party. Even more significant than lobby rumors are the daily indications that MrAllen's colleagues are no longer prepared to leave him in untrammelled control of the Defence Department. The control of the military hospitals has been transferred to the Hon. H. 11. Rhodes, and tl'c Prime Minister himself has been visiting the camps and exercising personal supervision. More than once late lv Mr, Massey lias risen in the House to "cover" some statements made by Mr. Allen. The situation is obviously strained! ,