MINISTERIAL PUZZLES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 514, 22 May 1909, Page 4

MINISTERIAL PUZZLES.

It becomes increasingly difficult to tin-, del-stand from the statements of Ministers exactly what are the Government's intcn'Ciu.:; in respect of any branch of ad- | ministration., They arc constantly con- | tradictirig cach otlior. Mil. Hogg speaks strongly in favour of issuing State'notes, and the Prime Minister promptly exposes the absurdity of such an idea. Mil. Hobo, again, favours the building of a certain railway line, which lie is certain will pay handsomely, and Mr. R, .M'Ken" zie has to inform the people 'in tho district affected that the lino will nevct pky and will never bo built bo long as ho is Minister for Public Works. And how we Bccm to have Ms. M'Kenzih and Mn. Millar at varianco iii the matter of expenditure on railway construction. A local contemporary reports Mn. M'Kenzie as having stated that "tho Government has no intention of curtailing expendi' ture on-railway construction." Tho Government, ho added, wanted "to get railways and roads to open up country which is lying idle." In curious contrast to this statement is a very definite remark by Mr. Miliar to a deputation. which mot him in Iteefton on Wednesday lost. "I may as well toll yoi! at., oijce," lie said, "that in my opinion there will, ba no Railways Authorisation Bill of Any kind 'whatever this session. Some of tW railways already Under construction we will take to cortain points and stdp there." It is possible, of course, that if they wore asked to explain more fully and clearly what they meant, the two Ministers would bo able to show that their statements were not in reality miV tuiilly 'contradictory. The public, however, may bo excusod if it fails to per* ceivo how any extent of explanation can reconcile, statements so fundamentally opposed to each other, and so definite in • their purport. Is it p6Ssible tliat just as Mr. M'Kenzie is in conflict with Me. Hodq, Mr. Millar is in conflict with Mil. M'Kenzie as "well as with Bin Joseph Ward, whose sacred "3 per cent, and whose whole railway gospel ho has so emphatically " repudiated ? Nobody would be surprised if the fact wcri! that the Minister for Railways is truly desirous of Straightforward and economical administration, and that there is not unanimity in the Cabinet 6)i thts subject, In any-evetit, he is not overburdened with .soruples as to the necessity for bolstoring . up the past misrepresentations of the Government, and that is a mat tor for congratulation. For example, ho told the Recflon people that "tho West' Coast having so long received the 'most-favoured-nation' treatment had neglected to Study the doctrine of self-help." Surely this is tile rdnkest heresy ■! Htivtf ,not Sift Jotot Ward and his ParlianiontiXv atid journalistic supporters boon furiously denouncing for years tho-people who have declared that Westlahd has been (totttti; p.erod bfiyotld its deserts cyor since thd SeddON Government took office 1 As time! goos onj no doubt, we shall find further proofs of d want of cohesion in the Ministry.' One of these v days even MR.Bdddo may show us a mind of his own.