A NARROW ESCAPE.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1915, Page 6

A NARROW ESCAPE.

<» BY A HAIRBREADTH* By Telegraph.—Special to Daily News. Wellington, August 13. Bit by bit it i.s coming out that the Dominion was on the verge of a very grave political crisis while the negotiations between the party leaders, in regard to a National Cabinet, were in progress. In spite of Mr. Massey's broad hints to the Reform cam-us that iie could not carry on with his majority of one. a number of his supporters strongly opposed the idea of making overtures to the other side, and even threatened to assert their independence if anything of the kind were done. It jjs reported now that tlie first proposal to the Opposition was merely to gain time, and without any expectation that it would be accepted. The subsequent proposals were approved by only a reluctant majority of the party, and represented the most the Prime Minister could bring from his followers at the time.

PLAIN TALK. At one stage feeling in the Reform Ciiucus ran so high that a serious split seemed inevitable. One .member alter another got up and relieved himself of hi.s opinions, which lost nothing in candor and intensity from the fact that the) had been pent up in the House. Finally, Mr. Massey, who is said to have displayed the utmost tact throughout the whole of the troublesome proceedings, managed to bring his followers to a more amicable frame of mind, and to satisfy them that the position of the party was an extremely precarious one. After this the negotiations between the party leaders proceeded more rapidly, but the caucus would not listen to the proposal for equal representation.

ON THE OTHER SIDE. -t'hoiigh the discussions in the Liberal caucus revealed no enthusiasm for a National Cabinet, they provoked no recriminations, and betrayed few differences of opinion. Sir Joseph Ward vjis warmly supported in his insistence u,)of> equality of representation and a fair i!i«tribution of portfolios, and was always able to carry a mandate from his onity to'the Leader on the ot'icr side. li? made no secret from the first of his dislike to the idea of holding office by 'he forbearance of his opponents, nor of his strong disinclination to do anything that would force on an election at «uch a time. Personally, he would have 'preferred keeping the Reformers in to ia'cing a seat in a National Cabinet, but no recognised that this might be the only alternative to an appeal to the constituencies.

THE GOVERNOR'S INTERVENTION*. The"e was rejoicing among a l:'.r«e section of the rank and file on both sides when it was supposed that 'he negotiations had finally failed, and the Governor's intervention was not wel.naed by a dozen members. The frank admissions it extracted from the party leaders, however, cleared the way for a spi'tdy agreement, and though u; Iloire next day received the announcement with painful and ominous silence, '.lie dissentients arc now beginning to realise tli.it the formation of the National Cabinet, saved the country fro'm a very grave political crisis.