PRESS COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1328, 4 January 1912, Page 4

PRESS COMMENTS.

SPEEDY SETTLEMENT WANTED,

MINISTERIAL PAPER'S VIEW,

Suggestive light is thrown on the plight of tho Ward Administration by the attitude of its strongest supporters in the journalistic world. The "Lyttelton limes said on Tuesday last: "If Sir Joseph Ward is going to reconstruct his Übinet oil the lines indicated by the Auckland Star,' with only 'a bare majority in the new House of Represents, tives, a, very delicate and difficult task hes before him. If the four Maori members and Mr. Hindmarsh voted with tha Government, as they probably would, and tho other three Labour members voted li .tt' 16 Opposition, the two parties in the House would be exactly ovenly balanced with forty members on each side. If the Government is to have a majority at all it must be obtained ly detaching one or more of the Labour members from the Opposition and obtaining a pair for Mr. Wilford. Even if this could bo done the margin would bo so small, two or three votes at most, that the work of reconstruction would have to bo undertaken with the greatest circumspection* We have no doubt that Sir James Corroll and Messrs. B. M'Kenzio and 13uddo would cheerfully sacrifice, themselves in the interests of the party, but we do not know how the numerous aspirants for office would bo affected by the appointments our contemporary has suggested. The prevailing idea in Auckland seems to be that all the new Ministers should be selected from the North Island, leaving the South with Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. Millar as its only representatives in the Cabinet, but this arrangement certainly would not give the country the services of the best men that are available, tnd, in the long run might land the Government into worse troubles than those from which it is now attempting to extricate itself. But the important thing just now is to get the whole business settled as speedily as possible so .that the com-nunity, relieved of its suspense, may turn its attention to affairs which in the aggregate are of as much consequenco as parties and politics." It has already been stated that Mr. Hindmarsh and one of the Maori members—Dr. Pomare—will vote against the present Government Corrected accordingly, the above estimate of tho "Lyttelton Times" would give the Government 33 votes and the Opposition 42.

THE CROWN AND ITS ADVISERS. Dealing with the functions of the Governor in a situation like the present, the "Olago Daily Times" say6:—His Excellency, has. himself not s to, .very recently been' a. practical politician, and his acquaintance with constitutional practice will doubtless conduct him at tboi present juncture to r conclusion that ..trill not only protect the interests of the people, but also safeguard his own authority. The principle by which the Governor of a Dominion like this must bo guided ia well established, and has been precisely laid down. The general rule is that the Governor acts upon the advice of the Ministers, who are his responsible advisers. But in order that may be competent to tender him advice they must enjoy the confidence of tho people ns expressed, through their Parliamentary representatives. "The Crown," says Todd —and the Governor is the embodiment of tho monarchical' element in the colonial system—"must always act through advisers, approved of Parliament, and their policy must: always be in. harmony with the sentiments of tho majority in tho popular Chamber." The same authority quotes an instruction from a dispatch from the Colonial Office in 1862 to Sir G. F. Bowen, at that time Governor of Queensland: "The general principle by which the Governor of a colony possessing responsible government is to be guided is this: ... in mattors of purely local politics ho is bound, except in ex-, treme cases, to follow- the advice of a Ministry which appears to possess the confidence of the Legislature." It is essential, it will bo seen, and the reason for it is obvious, that the Governor's Advisors must possess, or at least, seem to possess, tho confidence of the Legislature, Tho Government in New Zealoud does not possess the confidence of tho Legislature. That is acknowledged to be the case. And, this being so, any attempt on its part to remain in office, exercising the functions or Ministers "approved of Parliament," would constitute a distinct violation of constitutional practice. It is clear, then; that, if the Ministers do not choose to rosisn, there should he an early session of Parliament.

A SUMMING-UP. The Christchurch 'Trass" says:-"Outf contentions, briclly put, are:—o) Hint the Governor cannot act constitutionally except on tin: advice of a Prime Minister possessing the confidence of the country; p) that the results of the recent elections show that Sir Joseph Ward has lost that confidence; (3) that the only menus. of definitely ascertaining who is in possession of the people's confidence is to < call Parliament together; (4) that in the meantime it would be in accordance with constitutional propriety and the wishes of the people if the Governor wero b refuse to agree to any important administrative acts, such as the appointment of a High Commissioner or ot now. members of the Legislative Council;. tS) tint if advised by Sir Joseph Ward to fill up vacancies in the Cabinet or reconstruct the Ministry, his Excellency would be ating not only in accordano with precedent, but in full accordance with public opinion, if he consented to do so only upon too condition that Parliament should be immediately summoned to deal with the position, if Sir Joseph Ward chose to resign rather than agree to tho immediate summoning of Parliament, then we presume his Excellency would send for Mr. Massey, who, wo believe, would have no difficulty in forming a Ministry, and would, of course, agree to. an imiiiediaU session of Parliament."

AN ANECDOTE. Compared with Sir Joseph Ward jii'.t now, nu oyster is almost loquacious (says the Christeluireh "Press"). But while the recluse of Awarua Hour maintains stern reticence rs to his intentions and the date, when Parliament is to be-cm' -'•■ together, the telegraph officers in Wellington have.been told that they cannot have, their usual holidays at present. Which sounds faintlv like a revised version of the story of the clergyman's child who was u-'-ked by an inquisitive visitor whether hor father was going to accept the call he . had received "to another church. "Oil, yes," was the reply, "pa's in the study praying for puidawe, but ma» upstairs, packing up."