SPEAKER PESSIMISTIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1390, 25 March 1912, Page 7

SPEAKER PESSIMISTIC.

NO ENTHUSIASM IN THE PARTY. CHKJSTCJU.TICK INTO!VIEW'S. lHy Telegraph.—Pr&Fs Association.) ChrUteh.urr.li, March 31. Anion? the piiaNUigorn from Wellington jrho ariiTjji in CTubtchuicii Uua moni-

ing was Sir Arthur Guinness, Speaker of the House. Sir Arthur Guinness was obviously pessimistio as to tho future of the Government pnrty and the reconstructed -Ministry. "The now Prime Minister," ho said, "will havo a difficult task to perform in carrying on tho Government. A Krent deal will depend on the constitution of the Ministry. ]f ho makes a wiso selection ho will havo a prospect of meeting tho House, and misting a motion of want of confidence. Tho party and country are very anxious to know the. exact lines of policy that the new Government will take up on the questions of land settlement and tenure, labour legislation, Native lands, nnd tho development of tho mining industry. If those important questions aro dealt with in a statesmanlike way the Government may bo ablo to carry on."

Mr. James Craigie, member for Timaru, was (he only other southern member who returned this morning. 110 expressed himself in much the samo terms as Sir Arthur Guinness. It was obvious that neither thought that tho Mackenzie Government would Ire able to establish itself (irmly on tho Ministerial benches. Tho selection of Mr. Mackenzie had not been received with any enthusiasm by tho party, nnd was Eimplj dictated by the exigencies of tho moment.