POLITICAL notes.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144133, 1 July 1913, Page 2

POLITICAL notes.

ADDRESS-IN -REPLY DEBATE.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Juno 30. The length to which the Address-in-Reply debate, which is .expected. to cpoa on Wednesday night, will run is uncertain. Some members of the OppoGit-ion in reply to questions on the subject state that they can see nothing in the. Governor’s Speech-to debate, and they! hint that they may not be likely tocarry the discussion to any length. The Government, it is believed, would bo> quite prepared for such a rajntiogenoy; as -the preparations for the session are, sufficiently well advanced to provide the. House with employment in the event off the debate coming to an early end. Tha Opposition have not yet decided who i* to lead off on their behalf.

The Wellington correspondent of tbdi • Eltham Argus-says that many members of the Opposition Party are doubtful as to whether Sir Joseph Ward will be prepared to tako nj> tho leadership when he returns. It is argued that ha was pretty badly treated' by some of • his former supporters. He has got over the sting of defeat, ho hop enjoyed a respite from the cares of office, and may not be prepared to take the responsibility of leading a party—raped ally when that party is not sufficiently cohesive to present an unbroken front to the enemy. If Sir Joseph elected to take a back seat and rest for a while longer he could not blamed for taking such a course.