REFORM PARTY TROUBLES.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1410, 26 June 1923, Page 5

REFORM PARTY TROUBLES.

SOUTHERN COMPLAINTS. By Telegraph— Parliamentry Reporter. WELLINGTON. Monday. Apart from the natural disappointment existing among a few members of the Government party who had to be overlooked in making tne recent appointment to the Ministry, there is a more important element of dissatisfaction among Mr Massey's party over the situation, and I am informed from more than one source that it was ventilated at the recent caucus with some emphasis. This is the overlooking of the South Island in making the appointment. The southern reresentatives, in the Government party are few in number, and they are diffident about giving public expression to their disappointment over the position. as it might be taken as an attempt to push their own interests. However, they made themselves heard in caucus, so it is reported, and claimed that if it is only for the element of the large area of country represented by the South Island it should have stronger numerical representation in Cabinet. The natural retort of supporters of the policy actually adopted seems to have been that when the South Island, or the Oamaru part of it, had the chance to return a Minister it refused to take it, so the South Island must put up with a lessened representation in Cabinet, although two at least of the Government members who come from the South are recognised as being capable of taking Ministerial responsibility. The disaffection is not confined to South Islanders, Wellington supporters of the Reform party fed that they have not been fairly treated in the constitution ,of the Cabinet. The nearest Minister to represent them Is the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, whose constituency is over a hundred miles away, and he is unfortunately in so poor a state of health that it is not UkeW that he will take an active part in politics for many months. It may be that be will ultimately decide not to risk bis recovery by continuing to bold Ministerial office, but for the present His possibility is not being discussed. excepting to the extent of a suvfrest.ion by members interested that if Mr Guthrie resigned the claim of the Island could not then be ignored. Tbe view of critics within He Government party on the recent Cabinet change is Hat it is a case of “Auckland all He time.”