WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1917, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Imperial Conference

New Zealand’s Representatives.

(Oar Special Correspondent.) Feb 23 No word has fceeo received her® in confirmation of the American report that the meeting of the Imperial Conference has been further postponed in consequence of the political crisis in Australia. People most likely to know what is going on do not believe that the representatives of the other dominions will be kept kicking their heels in London while the Commonwealth goes about the leisurely settlement of its rather sordid party squabbles. If there is a further postponement for any considerable time, they gay, either Me Massey or Sir Joseph Ward or both of them will have to return to New Zealand to attend to matters of importance here. Parliament will have to be called together before the end of June to vote supply and members of the House and the country will expect to eee at least one of the party leaders of the National Cabinet in his place. There is less disposition among tha ♦‘lndependents” to kick over the trace than there was a year ago, but they will want information on a variety of subieots that can be supplied only by Mr Massey or Sir Joseph Ward, CABINET RECONSIRUCOION Thera is mnqh speculation ia the political circles lying just outs : de the holiest of holies concerning the filling of Dr McNab’s place ia the Cabinet. Ministers, of coarse, will say

nothing for publication on the subject. What is known is that Mr MacDonald has been appointed acting leader of the Liberal Party during the absence of Sir Joseph Ward and has taken over temporarily the moat important of Dr McNab’s portfolio?. It is reported thit Mr Usman has been rel-eved from a somewhat anomalous position by a re-arrangement of salaries and that hie appointment as Minister of Justice may be regarded as a permanent one, permanent, that is, so far sb the ministerial life of a politician may be measured. Mr Russell, who came next in precedence among the Liberals in the official list, might have reasonably looked for appointment to the temporary leadership, but if he is dia* appointed by the promotion conferred upon Mr MacDonald he is disguising his feelings uncommonly well. THE NEW MINISTER. But the rearrangement of portfolios among the present Ministers is interesting the gossips lees than is the selection of a new Minister. The Liberal leader is in the more or less embarrassing position of having both to nominate a candidate for Parliament and to practically appoint a successor to Dr McNab in the Cabinet. A pioturesqne speculation to which thie position has given remote colour of possibility is that in tha event of Sir John Findlay beiog returned for Hawke’s Bay he and Sir Francis Bell with Ministerial rank will go to Lon* don to attend the Imperial Conference and thus release Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward for the still more important work awaiting them here. No one pretends to have any warrant for dreaming of such an arrangement, but there certainly is a growing feeling here that the absence of the two Ministers directly responsible to the country for the administration of its alfairs should not be prolonged for a single day more than is absolutely necessary. THE POLITICAL SITUATION, Happily these questions have arisen at a time when ths political situation is calmer than it has been for many years past. The war has silenced the party politicians and is on a fair way towards banishing party politics. This miracle is all the more wonderful by the fact that political convictions and political aspirations remain jnst as strong and jast as intense as they were three years ago. Simply the politicians and their parties, in the face of a great national crisis, have dropped their unworthy suspicions of one another and have united in a common effort to reach a common goal. \ Bat this ie not going to save the National Cabinet from oritioism when Ite.iamenfc meets. On the contrary, the verv seourity of the party truce is going to unloosen the tongues of the on tics and without flippancy and without bitterness the private member, on whichever aide of the House he sits, is going to be a more independent and a more effective person than he ever has been before.