WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

TI-IE APPROACHING GENERAL ELECTION. rumours and speculations. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, -March 20'. '| i,o rumours and speculations which herald the approach of every general election again are making their customary round. Among the most daring and the least credible of them are a story that Mr Masesy will retire train the Premiership before the meeting of Parliament, and another that prominent Reformers and Liberals are discussing a coalition that would bring about a return of the two party system in the present House of Representatives and consign Labour to the cool shades of Opposition for at least another decade. Roth of these may be regarded as sheer inventions intended to" help neither of the older parties. Whatever may lie his personal inclination Mr Massey has displayed no deto he relieved of the burden of office and his political friends, inside al „| outside the House would he strongly averse to his retirement. Even with impaired health and greatly lessened activities he still would remain the most inspiring figure in the ranks of the Reformers. Truth to tell, the Prime Minister apart, there are no indications of great finalities of leadershin on the Government side of the House. The Minister of Customs has the temperament, the Minister of Railwavs. the personal equipment, the -Minister'or Lands the easy assurance; lmt none of those good henchmen of thenchief has his rare gift of holding a team together. lienee when the chief lays his cloak aside for a time it is not worn by one id' his colleagues m the House, hut by his nominee m the other Chamber. A VETERAN LEADER. A more interesting story, and one probably better founded, comes from the Eolith to the elicit that Sir .'Joseph Ward will I"' a candidate lor the. Invercargill seat for which the lion. -1. A. Ilnnan. the present holder, does not intend to seek re-election. Sir Josop.i Ward is not disposed just now to talk

about his intentions, for publication, and be does not appear to be so anxious to re-enter public life as lie did a year or two ago. lie lias many interests outside politics demanding bis attention, and if he should ultimately consent to contest a seat id Liie approaching election it would he with a view rather to playing the part "t a private member than to entering the front lighting line again. In. this capacity he would he welcomed hack to active polities hv many of Ids former opponents and in some matters, such

as finance, railways and post office ad-

ministration, would exercise more influence than does the average Minister of the Crown. It would, he a littldifficult, however, l;> fix his place in the Iturlv burly of party polities, ffe ahvavs has been more of an adminis-

trator than ol a leader—a tact probably due to his long service under .Mr

Seiidon, who would, tolerate no division of authority—and once in Parliament it would not he surprising to find hint gravitating towards the creed popularity styled independent e. I’ut. whatever his position in the House might ho his presence there would lend additional interest to its proceedings. THE ELLESMERE SKAT.

There is no fresh news to-day contenting Sir lieaion Rhode’s intention in regard to the Ellesmere seat, sir Heaton made it plain enough on his return from the South the other day that he had no desire to remain in politics beyond the life of the present Parlinment. Rut he made it equally plain, hv what he left unsaid, that some one intimately associated with the organisation of the Reform Party, had satislied hint that his retirement at tnc I'rc cMt iuqrluro very lik'd', aoitld re . nil in the parly’ • lon of the -cat. The fieri I is obvious to everyone who

knows anything about such matters. The seat was won from the Liberals f 1 v S'ir Heaton’s personal popularity

just upon .a quarter id a century ago and it. has been hold by the same potent influence ever since. Rut towards the end of last year Sir Heaton let it he known that owing lo ill-health he

did not intend to contest the seal again, and an eager aspirant lor the

succession obtained from, him an assurance that the field was open to any candidate approved by the party. Happily, Sir Heaton has regained his health in a large measure, and is now prepared to continue his service* t > the country and his party provided he is placed on-s.ide to the candidate to whom lie passed his word anti is relieved of the portfolios lie has been liJding. The next, move is with Hr' aspirant for his well worn shoes. “-MR FREAKS 1 !!!.” The suggestion of the' “ Dominion that the Speaker of the House of Representatives should not be required to contest his seat at the general election, following upon his term ol office, is not finding nuu h favour here with

p,, qUe who take nnv interest in such tilings. The precedent of the House of (‘ouiu'.oiis, which for a century has taken it for granted that the Speaker should not he opposed when seeking reelection, is held to he wide of the mark.

To begin with, in the House ol Commons there are between 000 and 700 members and if the constituents of one of thc-m agree to forego a party light, since it is a tradition that must be u pitch I, no great harm is done. Hut itt the Xew Zealand House ol Representatives there are only seventy-six I'.uropenti members and the importance of the individual, relatively, is much greater in the smaller assembly than in the larger. One vote has made and unmade Governments in New Zealand, and will make and unmake them again; Imt in the history of the Mother of Parliaments the margins are much bigger. Of still more consequence is the fact that while the House of Commons lias relegated most of its merely local nHairs to other bodies, the New Zealand House of Representatives is still to a large extent, what the scoffers have designated it, a glorified road board with many local matters calling for its attention. Members of the House with the warmest respect tor a succession of able Speakers, and with very special regard for the present bolder of the high office, do not favour the occupant of the chair being exempt from trial !>v election.