DUTY AND DELAY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2522, 24 July 1915, Page 4

DUTY AND DELAY

The Government Party is, we understand, meeting in caucus to-day to discuss tho latest phase of the negotiations for the formation of a National Ministry, and we hppe the upshot will be to present a final proposal to tho Opposition with a request for acceptance or rejection in time for an 'announcement when the House,meets again on Tuesday. Tho differences are apparently as to tho proportionate representation of the two parties in tho Cabinet. The Government offer of four out of nine portfolios is a fair one, when it is considered 1 that the strength of the parties is forty-one to thirty-three;-The Labour-Socialist- section cannot bo counted in as thoy have finally dccided to stand out of any coalition. In Britain the party strength in fcho House and in tho new National Cabinet compares as under:— In tli 6 luthe f House. Cabinet. , Liberals 260 . 13 Unionists , 288 . 7 Nationalists '.82 — Labour 37 1 Tho figures for' the Cabinet do not, of course, include Lord Kitchener, who represents no party. Tho representation offered tho Opposition. by Mr. Massey is thus much more liberal than that accepted by tho Imperial Opposition. We are not, however, desirous of raising difficulties about an extra seat one way or the other at such a time as this, and moreover if there is to be a coalition for the period of the war we would very much like to see tho Labour Party reconsider their decision to stand but. There should be only one party in the country at the present time—the Soldiers' Party, or perhaps it would be better to style it' the Nation's Party. And it would be good news to hear that in Parliament, whioh should set ail example to the people, all the old differences and divisions .were dead in the face of .the common peril. But above all; this is no time fo.r delay iti choosing tools for the task in hand. Ministors should not be- distracted from their tasks_ by the prolonging of these'negotiations. If the spirit that makes a coalition practicable does not exist—and there has been ample time to test this—the quicker, the whole matter is dropped tho better for us all.