WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1919, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

NATIONAL CABINET DISSOLVED.

RETURN TO PARTY GOVERNMENT. (Our Special Correspondent).

Wellington, Aug 22

The inevitable lias happened. Sir Joseph Ward tendered to the Gov-ernor-General yesterday his resignation as a member of the National Cabinet and his Liberal Colleagues, with the exception of the Hon G. W. Russell, .are handing their resignations to His Excellency to-day. Mr Russell, as he explained to the representatives of the Press last night, is delaying his retirement till Monday in order that he may clear up sevei'al very important matters” he has in hand. The Minister of Internal Affairs, it is understood, has been better disposed toward the continuation of the “ coalition ” than have the other Liberal members of the Cabinet, but he strongly resents the suggestion that he would have been j prepared to remain in office under a Reform leader. The announcement of the definite renunciation of the party truce came as a surprise to most people, it having been generally assumed that Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward would remain together at least till the meeting of Parliament, but the intimate friends of the two leaders were prepared for what has happened and, of course, are viewing it from somewhat different standpoints.

“ moving i;ackwahds.”§

The “ Dominion,” which again, it may be presumed, will become the official mouthpiece of the Reform Party, is frankly displeased and a little angry. In a leading article headed “ Moving Backwards ” it takes the Liberal Leader severely to task, “ Sir Joseph Ward and those who stand with him,” it 'says, ‘‘have elected to revert ignobly to the petty aims of faction and to the paltry and miserable outlook in which personal aud party interests aud ambition are regarded as of more moment than national welfare. But, while the immediate effect is to awaken strife and discord, the course to which Sir Joseph Ward and his supporters are committed is so -obviously backward, so manifestly runs directly counter to the interests of the Dominion aud its people, that the effect is more or less rapidly to qnicken and increase the growing demand for political leadership and a political outlook worthy of the times.” This, it must be confessed, does not quite strike the highest note of conciliatory intervention.

“ POLITICAL FREEDOM.”

Under this heading the “ New Zealand Times ” presents the opposite view of the position. “ The Liberal leader,” it says, “ has ended the political truce and issued his programme. The first he has done at the logical date, the second at the psychological moment. As leader of the Liberal Party he felt compelled to join forces with the other side on account of the war. Three times re-elected he remained*faithful to that necessary political compact. At the earliest possible moment after the war he has recognised that the war compact has no longer a basis and he has resigned his position hi the Cabinet, dissolving by that act the political truce.” For Sir Joseph’s programme the Liberal organ has nothing but approval. “It is the programme,” it sums up, “of a leader who does not. despair of the Republic, who faces his task with courage, sense, prudence, a deep sense of justice and a high ideal of duty, It deserves, and ought to command success.” This is the other impression of the picture. THE 1,1 HE UAL PROGRAMME.

Those of Sir Joseph Ward’s friends who feared the Liberal leader would not make his programme progressive enough to catch the eye and please the ear of those electors who are looking for a new heaven and a new earth to ai'ise from the devastation of the war may set their troubled minds at rest. The “ Dominion ” describes the programme as a “ plunge for popularity ” and with notes of exclamation heads its text “ scattering millions” and “still more harrassmo'.” There are to be national banks, national coal mines, national ferry services and national flour mills ; the main trunk railways are to be completed in three years, the cost of living is to be effectively handled, the lands of the country are to be occpuied for intense use and many other things are to be done to realise the dreams of people who honestly believe the whole structure of industry, commerce and society need reconstruction along sane and beneficient lines.