POLITICAL SITUATION

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 7 February 1923, Page 5

POLITICAL SITUATION

THE SESSION. PROGRAMME AND PROSPECTS. (From our own Correspondent). Wellington, February 5. Members of the new Parliament have not been free in their discussion of the prospects of the coming trial of strength, and the position at the moment remains as it developed at the time of the recent Reform caucus. The Prime Minister is assured of a win on the no-confidence motion, but by so narrow a margin that the Government would be in serious difficulties if it attempted to carry on a working session without further reinforcement. Whether this will be forthcoming will depend, not only on the results of party meetings to-morrow, but on the developments in the long Address-in-Reply debate which may be expected.

It 'may take some time to reach the crucial point for which the | country is waiting, because the preliminaries of the opening of Parliament will take a couple of days, and there is hardly likely to be a silent vote cast on the important motion first to be decided. Parliament under the present circumstances has to be opened by a commission, comprising a group of Legislative Councillors, who under the authority of the Governor-General will set the legislative machine moving on Wednesday afternoon*, inviting the members of the House of Representatives to meet them in the Council Chamber, when they will be requested to repair to the place from whence xhey came, and elect a Speaker. As for this important office, Mr Statham, whose name has been almost exclusively mentioned, is not a certainty. XV hile it is assumed that the Prime Minister will if possible save a vote by taking the Speaker from the Opposition, there is more than one candidate in the field, and some have prospects at least as rosy as the member for Dunedin Central. For instance, the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) is spoken <f as a suitable experienced member who would probably take the honor if it was offered, especially if the election is not made a test of party strength. The general impression is that no attempt will be made to force this issue. The meeting of the parliamentary Labor group is awaited with interest owing to its practice of electing a leader for each Parliament. Rumors that the largely increased group may result in different voting on the leadership on this occasion have their basis in the first appointment of Mr H. Holland. which was by the narrow margin of a vote. His rival on that occasion, Mr J. McCombs, took the position of whip, and it can safely be predicted that he will continue to act in that capacity, Mr Holland having developed into a very shrewd parliamentary tac'tician, whose position as leader of the party is well entrenched.

In the contest for precedence in moving no-confidence amendments, Mr Wilford has the right of road by constitutional nsage, although it may be expected that the leader of the Labor Party will not permit the session to close without some interesting experiment in dividing the House on questions such as the public service wage cuts and electoral reform.

As .the last Parliament made arrangements for supply until June next, there will be no necessity to introduce an Imprest Supply Bill. The Finance Minister will, however, make a verbal statement of the position of the public accounts. The business of the session is thus reduced to the election of a Speaker (there will be no occasion to make the appointment of Chairman of Committees) and the adoption of an Address-in-Reply motion, ot an amendment. It is possible to have the debate opened on the Address-in-Reply on Thursday evening, and as it is likely to be lengthy, the real test of parties could scarcely be expected to happen at earliest until the end of the following week.

Any discussion of possible developments among the parties would at this stage be based on slender foundations, but it is interesting, to record that supporters of the Reform Party are talking very’ pointedly about the value of another appeal to the country. They argue that if the Liberal-Labor Party maintain an attitude of complete hostility, and that the Government is defeated on some question during a working session, there would..be no possi-

bility of forming a Ministry with a working majority, therefore it would be better to have the political position made clearer by another general election.

LIBERAL AND LABOUR PARTY MEETINGS.

(Per Press Association—Copyright.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A caucus meeting of the labour Party was held at Parliament Buildings this afternoon. Every member was present. The following officers were elected:—Chairman, Mr H. E. Holland; Deputy-chairman, Mr M. J. Savage; Secretary, Mr P, Fraser; Whips, Messrs D. G. Sullivan and EJ. Howard. The Secretary said he had no further statement to make. The Liberal-Labour caucus held today confirmed Mr T. M. Wilford’s leadership, and placed on record hearty and sincere appreciation for his services in the election campaign, inn congratulated him on the effort made. The Party also declared for the maintenance of its identity as one distinct party, supporting the principles of true liberalism, in the real interests of the people. It decided that so long as the Reform Party continues to represent and mainly to be influenced by owners o» large vested interests, large landowners, etc., the opposition of the Liberal-Labour party to the same will be vigorously maintained. It expressed continued sympathy with the genuine aspirations of the workers for improved economic conditions, and achievement of the same by constitutional means, but emphasised continued opposition to all extreme revolutionary proposals. OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. Wellington, this day. The weather was fine for the formal opening of Parliamerit to-day at 2-30 p.m. by a commission comprising Sir Walter Carncross, Speaker of the Legislative Council, Sir Francis Bell, Leader of the Council, Sir William Fraser and Sir William HallJones ; after which the House of Representatives will proceed to the election of a Speaker. The Gov-ernor-General will attend to-morrow, when the usual ceremonial associated with the delivery of the Speech from the Throne will be observed.