The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1912. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1378, 2 March 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1912. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

The brief session of Parliament which was brought to a close yesterday has left the political outlook still clouded with doubt and uncertainty. The Ministerialists having with - the assistance of the Labour members secured a respite to enable them to reconstruct their Cabinet, are now confronted with the delicate and difficult task of finding a new set of leaders. Moreover, in carrying out that task they have also to find means of reconciling the conflicting interests of the motley band, which cannot afford to lose a single member if it is to retain a majority in Parliament. We do not propose to review the proceedings of the session, nor to enlarge upon the deplorable degradation of our politics, brought about by the behaviour of certain members in breaking their election pledges. Whatever exouses may bo put forward in their behalf, none but the moßt partisan or debased could possibly approve a.breach of faith so calculated to lower the tone of our public life and weaken _ respect for our Parliamentary institutions. Tho Ministerialists who hold office by virtue of these dishonoured pledges aro now faced with the knowledge that they have to pay the price. Part of that price was tho resignation of Sin JosEPn Ward, but when this liability is discharged there will still remain a heavy balance. The misnamed "Liberal party knows that it has placed itself at tho mercy of the small Labour section, and that whatever Labour demands it will have to pay—if it can. While, thereforo, the Government

party has boon able to Bccuro a re spite, its position is far from being a happy one. Not only is the shadow of Labour dominance clouding its outlook, but there is this troublesome

question of leadership to be dealt with. Sin. Joseph AVahd, discredited politically, is under promise to resign, and who is to be his successor 1 Which of the rival sections will succeed in forcing its candidato into the position 1 Unfortunately for' _ the party, it haa no outstanding Minister w nuu&boi to tako tbo office.

Moreover, what is to prevent Sin Joseph Ward insisting that he, and ho alone, shall nominate his successor'! And if he docs this, what is to prevent him stipulating with that successor as to who shaft be offered portfolios in the new Cabinet? It is a pretty position for our "Liberal" friends to worry over. There will he quite as much troub&> and certainly more heartburnings, over the selection of Ministers as there is now over the choice of a leader. What a delightful collection of aspirants to choose from: Mr. T. Mackenzie, the freeholder, and Mit. Laurekson, the leaseholder; Mr. Myers, the brewer, and Mr. Isitt, the Prohibitionist; Mr. Robertson, the Socialist, and Mr. Vigor Brown, the capitalist, and so on. Messrs. G. W. Russell, Hanan, Davey, Ell, M'Donald, Wilford, Obaigie, Reed, Sir Arthur Guinness, and some of the present Ministers all possess claims to recognition, and there arc not places for all. Mr. Veitch, too, cannot be ignored if ho puts forward his claim, and altogether there is a very pretty mixture to make a_ hotch-potch Ministry out of. During the next fortnight there will be some desperate wire-pulling, and.when at the end of that time the party_ again meets to discuss matters it will probably find itself just as far off a satisfactory j adjustment of its internal troubles as ever.

On, the other hand, the Reform party has at least the satisfaction of being a united party. It had every reason to expect that it would be in office to-day, and the only reason that it is not is that the Government was able to induce certain members to break their pledged word to their constituents. A good many people probably are disappointed that tho Ward Government was enabled to continue temporarily in of* fice even on such desperate terms as it was forced to make in order to do so. But it is far better that the Reform party should have kept itself free from entanglement with members who have so little regard for political ethics than it should have gained an immediate advantage at the expense of its future prospects. We should have liked to have seen the Ward Government beaten outright on the no-confidence motion, because it

has proved itself to be a bad Government; but wo should have been sorry ' to see any party animated by a desire for reform, and pledged to sound and honest government in the interests of all classes, como into office fettered by an alliance which must in : evitably place it at a disadvantage in carrying out its promises. When Parliament meets again the position of the Reform party will be so strong that the new Government will be in peril from the outset. Thero are possibilities that by June next the ranks of Mr. Marsey's following may bo strengthened' by _ dissensions amongst tho Ministerialists, and with so narrow a margin between the parties it requires only two to change over in order to place the Reform party in office.