WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1919, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(Our Special Correspondent).

DEFENCE,

PROBLEMS OF THE FUTURE

WELLINGTON, Nov. 14,

The defence policy of New Zealand has been held over for consideration by the new Parliament, and possibly by a new Government. The future organisation and strength of the Territorial force, the system of training and the arrangements for naval defence are nffitters that await decision. But in tthe meantime masses of war material are arriving in the Dominion with the! returning troops. The Minister for Defence has stated that arms and equipment for two divisions are being brought to this country. The articles had been bought and paid for before : -the war ended and they could not be ' sold except at a great sacrifice in Britain or France Just what is going to happen to all this material nobody seems to know. There is some reason 'to fenr that much of-it will moulder in defence stores unless Ministers show active interest in its disposal. Many powerful motor wagons have been landed from the transports recently. They [are eminently suitable for use by the Public Works Department or local bodies, and it seems poor policy to hold thorp in store, or retain them for occasional use by the Defence Department, on the off chance of another war occurring within the next ten years. There appears to be much other gear among the equipment that could be used in one way or the other by the people of New Zealand. THE PARTY TRUCE. People here continue to discuss the text of the party truce produced by Sir Joseph Ward-at his meeting ini Christchurch at the beginning of the week. Strangely enough, scarcely a dozen members of Parliament recollected that ‘the agreement between Mr Massey and the loader of the Opposition in 1915, ’had 1 been- reduced; to writing and even those who did were not aware of the location of the “scrap of paper” on which the terms of the arrangement were set out. It is being remembered now, however, that while the Prime Minister has scarcely alluded? to the document since Sir Joseph Ward’s retirement from the Cabinet the leader of the Opposition has quoted from it with confidence and precision. He has contended that the “truce” expired automatically on the signing of the peace treaty and that in the absence of .any invitation from the Prime Minister to continue the arrangement' he lyauld [not have been justified in Withholding his resignation for a single day longer than he did. “The National Government to continue in existence until the war is officially settled.” These words seem to fix the duration of the arrangement plainly enough and Sir Joseph, as he says himself, would have placed himself in a very invidious position had’ lie clung on to office for a longer; period; than the contracting parties content 'plated, particularly in the absence of any wish to that effect expressed by the other side. A LIBERAL VIEW.

A prominent member of the Liberal Party referring to the subject this morning said he thought the public would recognise, in the light afforded by the text of the agreement, that Sir Joseph Ward had- no alternative to retirement from the Cabinet and that he could not with any dignity have postponed his withdrawal for a day longer than he did. Even if Mr Massey had invited him to remain he could not have done, so without consulting the members of his own party and they already had declared for the termination of the arrangement at the earliest -possible moment. They had felt that the slow progress of the war had compelled them to a much longer period pf inactivity than they had expected in 1915 and that their party was getting much the worst- of the bargain,- while the extreme Socialists were gaining- ground every day through no middle course being placed' before the electors. At ; tho same time, this authority thinks •there will he a strong disposition in the new Parliament, if mot towards a coalition iat least towards a better understanding between the parties—all three of them—and a franker: recognition of one another’s rights and privileges. It is an optimistic view which sane men on all'sides will hope to.<see,realised.