NATIONAL CABINET

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2507, 7 July 1915, Page 8

NATIONAL CABINET

REFUSED BY OPPOSITION ~—~ — ■ . i ■ CAUCUS DECISION AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT The proposal to establish a National Cabinet in New Zealand as made by the Primo Minister to the Leader of tho Opposition . was negatived by the Opposi-' tion caucus yesterday morning. ing was tho official statement of 'the' determination of / "That Mr. Miissey bo informed ■ that tho Opposition considers liis offer of constituting a ,-National Cabinet with six Government members and three Opposition members unfair, seeing tho Opposition 'is - . practically equal to the Government party in point of numbers. • "Tho Opposition -is desirous of assisting the Government in war matters, and as an - alternativo to Mr. Massey's proposal suggests that . such assistance could be.better rendered if the powers of\the Secret, ■ Defence Committee were extended* during-the war, and in connection .therewith to enable the Administration. to more effectually ' deal ■ with tfie present crisis."-. PRIME MINISTER'S COMMENT. Referring to the;above announcement the Prime Minister made the following statement -.—"You-will understand," ho said, "that i though I have been, thinking about a National Cabinet for some time to control the affairs of the Dominion during the war period, I could not ' possibly ■ move \in the matter without- consulting my .party. Tho party _as a whole, and every member of it, had to be' consulted about a matter of such intense, importance. I brought tho subject up at tho first meeting of the party a week ago, and after discussion it was decided, that I should offer Cabinet rank for the war period to three Opposition members. I accordingly mentioned . the proposal, first in the House, and afterwards somewhat in detail to the Leader of the Opposition, who in turn conferred with tho members of his party. The result is now'public. That we can go on and do the. business of the country, I have' not the slightest doubt, but I must say I should have liked-to bury the jwlitical hatchet during the present crisis, and see, all parties unite in doing our duty to 'King, country, and Empire." ; THE PROPORTION DIFFICULTY. It' should be noted, that the complaint* of the Opposition that sis Government members to three Opposition members was not*;a fairproportion because the parties in the House are nearly equal is not quite'a, correct presentment of the case. The Opposition has a strength of 33 members, and Labour has a strength of six. 'The Labour Party has stated that it will maintain ( its own identity,- which should mean that it would; not . follow a coalesced Cabinet. It is also fairly generally understood that 1 Sir, Joseph Ward could not in the Coalition Cabinet .command the support of' the more radical wing of his.party...-If liis_ party had agreed by a majority decision to accept the Government's offer, it is extremely improbable that more than 20 members would have followed him. As the Government party is 41 strong, the proportion 6—3 is a mathematically correct one, and one that will generally be accepted as a fair one. .; .