WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE PARTY TRUCE. " ITS TERMINATION. ] (Our Special Correspondent) a WELLINGTON, Dec. 18. 1 By the terms ot' the agreement made < between Air. .Massey and Sir Joseph ] Ward, and ratified by their respective | supporters, for the suspension of party \ hostilities during the course of the war t the Reformers and Liberals would bo at 1 liberty to revert to their old relations jon the signing of the treaty of peace. a But at the party caucuses held during the recent session the agreement was extended till the return of Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph to the Dominion and it lioite was expressed by more than one member of the House that its spirit l might be preserved in some enduring ] form. It would seem, however, from a statement made by Air. W. A. Veiteh, the Liberal-Labour member for Wanganui, that tips idea is not finding favour with the members of the old Opposition, find that they are anxious to return to what they call the constitutional position as soon as the larger war problems are satisfactorly settled. 1 UNCONTROVERSTA L POLITICS. The Ministers remaining in the Dominion a re disinclined to discuss the subject during the absence of the party leaders. They refused to look farther ahead than to the feturn of Air. Alassey and Sir Joseph Ward, as they say, the whole matter will come up for consideration. L'lit it is tolerably safe to say that the Reform Alblisters are better'disposed than the Liberal .Ministers are to the continuance of the truce in its present form. They entered the “coalition” after three years of office with most of their election pledges redeemed or decently renounced. The Liberal .Ministers, on the other hand, except in the way of admiration, have had no opportunity during the interval to fulfill the promises they made to the constituencies from the hustings in Mill. They feel they are the principal sufferers from the “go slow” policy inseparable from the existing arrangement. THE RANK AND FILE. The rank and file of the two old parties in Parliament are by no means satisfied with the present position. It is an open secret that the resolution adopted at the Reform Caucus hinting at a permanent truce for the purpose f combating the forces of revolutionary socialism was carried without much enthusiasm. ALemhers protested that the party could not afford to stand still simply because a handful of noisy extremists were trying to disturb the industrial peace and retard the social wellbeing of the community. At the Liberal caucus the protests against the “go slow” policy were even more emphatic and what is known of them fully justifies AL‘. Yeiteh’s assertion that the idea'of continuing the truce is not finding favour with the mouthers ol the party wif.ii which he is associated. Alt the signs of the times, indeed, point to an early return to the old party rela- | turns under better conditions, THE LABOUR PARTY. The official Labour Party, which as a voting factor cannot number more than ”o.OOU, or :50,000 electors in tit.' whole of the Dominion, professes to be highly gratified at the prospect of a permanent coalition between the Reformers and the Liberals. But the vast majority of the workers, with no merely personal ends to serve and no industrial grudges to gratify, would be just as glad to accept reforms from the hands of f ile Liberals, or even from the bands of the Reformers, as they would he from those of the revolutionary Socialists. They are hugging to themselves no delusions about names, but are more eager than ever before for results. And in asociation with the other progressive elements ill the country by whatever name they may he called, they are going to obtain those without reverting to the old bitter methods of political warfare. The party truce witli ;tll its limitations at least lias made the personal enmity of the past impossible. POLITICAL SPECULATIONS. .CURRENT GOSSIP. . WELLINGTON, Dee. 1(1. The departure of Air. Massey and Sir Joseph Wind for Loudon lias revived speculation as to the appointment of a New Zealand Minister to the Imperial Cabinet. The Home Government has made it abundantly plain that it wishes the Dominion to be directly represented with the other Dominions tit the council table of the Empire and it has been assumed here that during their present trip otto of the party leaders will accept the responsibility. Till quite recently it was generally expected that Sir Joseph Ward would be the first occupant of the high office, 'flic .Minister of Finance is qualified by experience, personality and temperament for the position, and it was thought the wide opportunities it offered would appeal to him. Rut now shrewd people who have been noting the signs of the times are predicting that Air. Massey, not Sir Joseph Ward, will be the Alinistor that will take up his residence in the great metropolis. THE RESIDENT MINISTER. Of course the prediction rests sit present upon the slenderest foundation. It may be that neither of the party leaders would care to leave New Zealand. Sir Joseph Ward, indeed, has assured his intimate friends quite recently that all his interests lie in the Dominion and that he would be very reluctant to leave it for any lengthy period. It is understood he expressed himself to this effect when addressing the Liberal Caucus held during the recent session of Parliament. Air, Massey, too. is known not to ho very keen on going abroad for an indefinite time. But he has been bearing an enormous burden of responsibility during the last three of four years, and though his health has stood tlie strain surprisingly well the members of his family and his personal friends would be glad to see him occupying a. less onerous position for a while. THE ALTERNATIVES. If neither Air. Alassey nor Sir Joseph Ward should care to go to London, Sir Francis Dell or Sir James Allen might be selected as the Dominion’s representative. Both those gentlemen, though somewhat out of touch with the progressive spirit of the day, have many qualifies Lions for the position. Sir Thomas .Mackenzie, whose name has been mentioned in connection witli the appointment, is not regarded in the usually well-informed eitelex as being in the running, and it is not unlikely that on the conclusion of his term of office as High Commissioner he will return to New Zealand with political ambitions, or at any rate with a readiness to accept it seat in Parliament where the knowledge lie has gathered in London during the last five or six years would be of groat value to the producing interests of the country. Air Alyers, whose name also has been mentioned, would fill the position admirably in many respects, but at present his vocation semes rather to lie in giving skilled attention on the spot to the Dominion’s ‘inimical and commercial affairs. THE PARTIES. Just what would happen to either of tne old political parties if its present loader were withdrawn no one is prepared to say. Probably the emergency !

would produce the man, but so far no outstanding figure on either side has been discovered. It is common rumour that if the work of demobilisation and repatriation is sufficiently progressed by the end of next year Sir James Allen will not seek re-election. In any ease he would not bo entirely acceptable to the members of his party who, while recognising his great war services mistrust his powers of leadership. On Lite other side, Mr. AY. D. S. AlacDonald would be easily life most popular selection with the rank and file of his party and the most likely to obtain tlie co-operation of the sane section of Labour. But it is doubtful if his appointment would meet with the cheerful acquiescence of nil his Liberal colleagues in the National Cabinet.