The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1021. THE PRIME MINISTER

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14613, 14 March 1921, Page 4

The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1021. THE PRIME MINISTER

The session which has Just started is in one sense a very gi'eat testimony tc the position occupied by Mr Massey. 11, has been called at an unusual time, to carry out routine duties and thereby enable the Prime Minister lo get away 1,,"11ic old Country. This is, of course, inevitable, but the strange part is that Parliament is not to meet again until Mr Massey returns, when the business o' the second session, which is commonly regarded as the busiest session of each House, will.be put through in a hurried manner to enable members, lo si,end Christmas at home. Mr Massey will not hear of Ihe House meeting in his absence, and both-Ihe members jmd the country arc content to acquiesce. While this is an eloquent testimony to the position he occupies, it is an extremely poor compliment to the other members of the Government. Some of them are busy in their own Departments, and arc doubtless doing good work, but they have apparently no more influence upon anything outside the Department than they had when they were private membe/s. Ours Is an absolutely one-man Government, and this is true, not only of political.matters, for Mr Massey is called in to act as conciliator on all labour disputes of any size. We said a few days since that lie would be called on in connection with the waterfront trouble, and so it proved. We do not know what will happen to tjie discussions between the coal mine owners and the miners, which will probably not come to a head before Mr Massey has left for England. In addition to acting as conciliator in labour disputes, Mr Massey takes a hand in fKing the price of wheat, and keeps strict control over the rale of interest lo be charged by anybody except the banks. There has been some protest in the press against tins concentration of pewer and duties in the hands of one man, but this has not bejr. supp'orted by members of tho Reuse, and the public are apathetic as in all other matters. It cannot, howover, be considered a desirable position c'lher for the Prime Minister or for the country. All the capacity and judgment in the community are not concentrated in one man. Mr MaS'scy has admitted that he enjoys the exercise of power, and it is certain that nothing but a pleasure in the work would induce him to undertake the tolMhat he constantly goes through. Unfortunately, such a-i amount of detail woi'K makes it impossible to obtain a wider view of matters, and it is necessary that wider views be taken. The subordinate position which other Ministers are content to hold does not lead to any greater lltncss for taking a part in directing policy, nor does it give them confidence in any views they may hold. No one will dispute Mr Masscy's undoubted claim to tho'llrst position, but it should be possible for other men to fdl some position. All experience points to the harm which is ultimately brought about by absolutism, .and one of the ways in which this works is that there is. a lack of men capable of filling responsible positions. Mr Massey occasionally pays his Cabinet the compliment of saying he must consult them before making a change, and sometimes lie omits the formula, but it is difficult to believe that very much shaping of policy takes place at Cabinet Councils. t , There are many questions which should be considered by the House, and a good deal of business will be found for them at the session lo be held towards the end of the year. It is difficult tc see what justification there can be for closing Parliament until Mr Massey's return. It cannot be pretended that the existence of the Government can be endangered in any way. They have a large majority, which shows no signs of wavering allegiance. The Opposition is divided, and is weaker to-day than when the House was elected. There is no demand for change in the country. Mr Massey has but one thing to fear, and that is that people should come to resent a want of business ability in the handling of Ihe matters that conic before the Government. Such a want of ability is often lo be seen. We would' not suggest that Mr Massey is not as capable as any other Minister of past times, but.then no man is an authority on all questions, and two heads are belter than one, even though they be Ministers' heads. It is very questionable whether good is done by calling on the Prime Minister to act as conciliator in labour disputes. The result seems tr be thai no argument can be come lo between masters and men until they have submitted their case to the Prime Minister, after which some compromise is arrived al, and the industry proceeds, until the next dispute arises. If some fresh view were put forward,* which held any hope of industrial peace in the d sturbed industry, the recourse lo the j Prime Minister would be justified, but I if the matter is to cud in a somproinise il seems hardly fair to waslc his lime. Then again the coal industry is sadly in i I of some definite policy, and if Mr Massey na d not been so busy he would probably have looked into the matter. Fur want of this policy wc are likely to be in a worse position for coal in 1921 than wc were in 1920, and a large number of questions hinge on coal. A Bill to deal with the Customs tariff is to be broughl forward in the coming session, and Mr Massey announces that he proposes lo take charge ■ i it himself—but why? As tilings stand at present any attempt to increase duties is likely |o lead to great tornplaint, for prices already bear hardly on very many, ami if duties are to be reduce,l as is lo be hoped, there will be no great skill required in piloting the Hill through ihe House. , \\ e me iii>i writing in opposition I" I Mr Mnssey, bul willl a desire I hi I he should consider whether the coflcenlra-

tion of power and responsibility in his own hands makes for the good government of the country or the durability nf the Cabinet. We retain the form of Cabinet Government, but only the form, for the policy which is pursued Is not the result of. deliberations between the .Ministers, hut is the expression of Mr Mrissey's opinions. If he consulted his colleagues the result might very possibly be Ihe same, but there is always some advantage to be obtained from candid discussion between friends, which involves a statement of reasons, and is often Ihe only way in which any definite thought can be given to the oourse which is to be pursued.