THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2337, 19 December 1914, Page 14

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

A SUGGESTION. Sir,—Has not the time arrived when tie politicians of New Zealand should set aside their party differences and give the publio a demonstration in practical patriotism? As you very clearly pointed out in your leading article this morning the, General Eleotion has resulted in an'impasse from which there are only two methods of escape—dissolution or compromise. What is the position in tho country to-day? The Empire is'in the midst of a great struggle with its future in the balance, and it is 'almost certain that there will be a great curtailment in the flow of borrowed, money on wjiich the prosperity of the country has largely depended for many years past. During the last ten years the outsido borrowing of the Government and the local bodies works out at approximately 5J- millions per annum, which would be equal to about £27 per annum per family if distributed evenly over the population. With the enormous wastage of war there must be a deficit somewhere, and it is obvious that the policy of any Administration taking office in New Zealand at the present time must be • one of great caution. Wo shall be fortunate 1L we are al)le to maintain things as tney are. We should be exceedingly foolish ■to launch out in any scheme entailing avoidable expenditure and it would be-equally .unwise to forgo revenue now coming in by .making concessions to the public in railway charges, .etc. ■ The programmes produced by both parties at the elections presupposed a return to normal conditions,- and were purely tentative Conditions are abnormal, and there is every indication that they will be increasingly so for a very considerable time.. This, means that most of the items distinguishing the rival policies will have to stand over for tho time being.

If a dissolution is forced it will mean the entirely unnecessary expenditure of a sum- of between. £25,000 and £30,000, besides the disbursements of the candidates themselves. The choice offered the.electors will be largely unreal; for,' as pointed out above, neither side is likely to find itself in a position to give more than a very modified effect to its policy. Nor have the electors the least desire to have thrust upon them the strife and turmoil of another party fight- at this crisis in the' nation's history. Would not the wisest course be for' the politicians to'declare a truce and form a coalition Mipistry in which all three parties in the House would receive representation according to the confidence reposed in them by the elecJfrate? There are nine Ministers in tho Cabinet at the present time.. The party strengths in the House and in the European electorates are as 'fol•low:—

Members, Voters. For Reform 40 236,000 For Liberals ......... 33 211,000 For Labour 7 46,000 A reasona-ble allotment of portfolios on this basis would be to give the Reform Party five representatives in tho Cabinet, including the Prime Ministor, the Liberals four'representatives, and from the Labour-Socialist group might come an honorary Minister without portfolio. This latter Minister would thus' be enabled to maintain that attitude of detachment desired by the Labour Party, but at tho same time would be able to state, his party's case when decisions were, being arrived at in Cabmet. Further, it would be necessary to prevent deadlocks to give the Prime Minister a casting vote in addition to his ordinary vote, "to" be used as the speaker's casting vote is used. . As,for the, Ministry; itself, the following should form a capable and workable team:— ".REFORM....Mr. Massey—Prime Minister and Minister of Lands. ■Mr. Allen—Ministor of Finance and Education. ' ?J r ' Herries —Native Minister.' ' m. Herdman-Attomey-General and Minister of Justice. Dr. ' Pomare—Representing 'Native Race. .., LIBERAL. Sir Joseph Ward—Minister of' Railways and Postmaster-General. •Mr. Myers-Minister of -.' Defence, Minister of Customs and Marine. Mr. MacDonald—Minister of Public Works. Mr., Hanan— Minister of Internal Affairs and Public Health. ' LABOUR. Mr. Veitch—Honorary Minister without portfolio., A'coalition such as that sketched would,undoubtedly call for sacrifices of personal ambition on both sides of the House, but the sacrifices are no greater than, the situation demands. ■ The elections have offered an opportunity for burying the party hatchet in New Zealand for the duration of this Parliament, and if the members of the House can arrive at absolution of the situation by. some happy compromise it is safe to say it will be welcomed heartily from one end of the Dominion to the other.—l am, etc,,

ELECTOR. "Wellington, December 17, 1914.