The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 26, 1915.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3991, 26 July 1915, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 26, 1915.

The Position of the Coalition Proposal.

It would sou in that the pmpccts in connection with the proposal to i'oi-ni a National Cabinet for this Dominion have considerably brightened during the past few days. the original suggestion which was made by the Government, viz., that the Opposition should receive three seats in a Coalition Ministry comprising in ad nine seats was not. oi course, one that had the slightest chance oi meeting with the approval of the Liberal-Lab-or partv. Subsequently it aas made to appear that Mr Massey and his party had made an improved oiler in that a six-four basis had been oflered

to the combined parties m Opposition. Gut the whole proposal has continued to haipe; fire. Three points, however, stand out in connection with the negotiations that have already taken place. .The first is that the Government party as a whole feel that, if a National Cabinet could be arranged ‘on a satisfactory basis, it would he a result that would be in the very best interests of the Dominion. It is also apparent that, as far as Sir Joseph Ward personally is concerned, he is not altogether averse to the est-ab-ment of a non-party Ministry for the period of the war. Then, again, it would seem to have been pretty clearly shown that the greatest obstacle to the success of the proposal up to tliis^ stage lias been an agitation in the ranks of the Opposition in favor of delay in order to see whether an early opportunity is likely to come to their party to regain the Government of the Dominion. As regards the first oi those, matters the special political correspondent of this journal advises that the Reform Party, at a further caucus on Saturday, agreed (after expressing complete confidence in Mr Massey in connection with the National Cabinet question) that he should he empowered to do what he considers advisable either in the direction of arranging with Sir Joseph "Ward for the formation of ... Coalition Ministry or of continuing to carry on the administration of the affairs of the Dominion ns at present, and the party, is to abide by his decision. With reference to the attitude of the Opositiou it will be remembered that, in declining to acopt the original proposal that was put forward by the- Government the only ground for so doing was stated to be the unfairness of the suggested decision of the seats as between the Government and the Opposition in the proposed National Cabinet. But the Opposition lias officially done more than imply that if better terms had been offered it might have been prepared to favorably consider them. It Inis since, been publicly announced by Sir Joseph Ward that the chief difficulty in the way of the forming of a • National Cabinet lias not been rivalry among members of his party as to which of their members should be given seats in such a Ministry. What, therefore, remains to he seen is whether the Opposition can come to an agreement (as has' been done by the Government) to give their unanimous support to a proposal of the kind providing that Sir Joseph Ward be satisfied with the best terms for a coalition that Mr Massey is able to offer. The Opposition, we learn, will to-day be given a splendid opportunity to indicate whether they were sincere when they invited the people of.,this Dominion to believe that, if the Government made a fair offer in point of numbers, they would be willing to fall in with the idea of a National Ministry. ‘ It is the case that the Government is not prepared to go to the length of offering a five-five basis—nor could anybody reasonably expect that such would he done—but the Opposition is to W offered five seats in a Cabinet of

eleven s&its. If the offer should he accepted, and wo will be surprised if it should he declined, it will, of course, mean that two of the present Reform Ministers' will have to retire. There can bo no doubt, we should say, that a National Ministry comprising the eleven most capable members of the House would b(r vastly superior to a Ministry as at present of only eight members representing only one side and most of whom are palpably overladen with work on account of the increased amount of national business owing to the war. A final announcement, it is expected, will he made inthe House to-morrow and it can be taken that it will he awaited "with very great interest.