LEADERSHIP PROBLEM

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1925, Page 4

LEADERSHIP PROBLEM

j AN AUCKLAND SUGGESTION ' AUCKLAND, May 10. A solution of th.e problem of the leadership of the Government i- olfered editorially hy the ‘•Herald” this morning. It is suggested that a Stewart-C'oa t-es o r C< >at ex-S tewart Ministry he forined. on the precedent of the Stout-Vogel tlovcrnineiit in the eighties. The "Herald" says:— “There is general agreement, nr doubt endorsed hy members ot the party itself, that when the I’vlorm Party meets to elect a leader and thus nominate the next Prime Minister, its task will la* It) weigh the qualiiiea-

tions of Mr 1 townie Stewart and Mr Coates, in discharging tliis responsibility the party will ho tortuiiately free of any embarrassment hy ambitious aspirations. Neither .dr Stewart nor .Mr Coates will claim ofliee. They and their colleagues will ;:ive loyal support to the leaner ciin-en by the party. Its diliieulty will he c discover whieli of two. raeli having in dillerent resp.eets tpialitieal iom- -uperinr to the other, is best lined for the ofliee. In these cireiun-triiec- consideration may he j'iveii to a solution which would ftive virtually equal status to both men. It C sueeested by the precedent' of the Ministry ol ; IS’SM. in which Kir Julius \ o.eel v.aejveti precedence, confirmed in tin ; oa/.et ted li.-t of appointments. ovei the Premier, Kir Hubert Stout . I hat arranoeincn 1 wa- adopted partly i( meet considerations of political exped-ietti-v. partly to avoid the difficult,' ' print otherwise Sir Julius Vuj'el. a former Preniier. would sit under :

junior in that respect, and partly to meet the objection that the state ol Sir Julius Vowel's health precluded him from active diseharple of duticoi leadership. The eireuiii-tam which dictated that modilie:it ion ut the Premier's status <le not exi-t at present, except that the state ot Mr Stewart’s health must h ■ eonsidered. but there are others which will commend the idea of rec-ionisi 11;' and seeuriiin the ideal eomhiiiatioii which Mr Stewart and Mr Coates would form hv assoeiai ion. Ihe first is that the whole duties of the Prime Minister’s oilier have become a ton heavy burden for one man. It is now re-eonni-ed that. Mr Massey’s death was hastened by the exhaustin': strain ut a task beyond the sfreneth of any man. Is his surce-sur to I.e asked In make similar sacrifices y There was no disparnoenicnt of their rapacity wl l '• n Mr Lloyd Ceorwe appointed Mr H'umr Law to he leader of the House ol Commons, or when Mr Kainsay MacDonald cave similar status to Mr Civile.-. If wa- recognised that Ihe public interest was he-t served by eivin;.' tlie Priiue Minister prealer freedom lo deal with qreal problems of policy and admim-t rat inn. An even stronger case may he made fur -Hell an ari'an;:e!‘.ieul in New Z'-aland, in view of the reeiirriut' necessity for the at tendance of the Prime Minister at Imperial Conferences. The lolly: absences of Mr .Massey from the Dominion were undoubtedly tu its ndvnutave. The tendency was inevitably to

mark time until Ills return, and i 1 was In cause of lei- cinharras-men! ol both Parliament and Hovel nine!:! Dial Mr Ma-sey wa- 11 nwi 11 i 1:: to vi-i I .ond:."i a- frequent ly as would havt been desirable. In lhal tespe. I I m country efteu in eds a Prime Mini-lei ill New Zealand and one in Loudon and though the seeuml neeessaril,' ( inihl not a-'iinie that ch -i;.'1:: 1 1 ion. hist a 1 us as joint leader of the (.’ov< rn inelii. would he as readily re opuise in I nipei'i'd ( ouneil- as it vuuld I, ■ i: New Zealand, w hile lit direct ion <•' douie-iie affairs, ineladiu;:; the pro ee.’dinof Parliament. would not L hand ieapjieil I y hi- ab em e. Tim Meed for such arrangement in re-petl o Iniperiil affairs will probably hcmini impai'jitive. and since it would hav' ulher ml viin tap's, the reeou.-l met im : 1 tee Ministry appeals to lie a In\ourable op-pol l uni!,' for i-tahli-iiili; it. The principle of equal si at us hueles.- dil'ictdly in a nominaied Prum Minister, ■■iuee either a Kl< wart-('on te- . r a ('. hi 1 es-Stew aI I Ministr' 1.11 !1 1 he e v peel ed to I uni t ioli villi - ins "s' and di-.fiueii 1." Ml! Vi.MUHKK PLEA. WELLINGTON, .May ML In a statement made to-day I'o-.ard-iup 1 lie ]it Ii 1 ieal sit u: 1 1 ion, Mr 11. At - more. M P.. urued that party inlerest:tn> 1 personal claims to Ministerial ofliee should I e put asid • in order to p.ive lice play for the national spirit. "Plira.se,s did n-u win the war; ncil In'r did inania'tivrino for party advanai'es. and il 1- (ertaili that, parly jilntilmb - and p-tieralitics ealimit suite !m ] rnblein.- el 1 ".lac. 1 believe t hat b ' people are "cry of pet I.' parly . pUlllhle- which uhseltrc pl'eitt issue,iinl blind the people to the realities of lie -.-it nat ion. The passing i f t: 'time .Minister has removed die nest loniinent lieure from Parliament ami eft the lielorm Party much weaker in 011 -,(■.| ne 1:i 1•. and with a full kitmvlcdqe I the personal capacities of each niemer of the House of ljepi'e.-elltvliv.s inlie-italiiie'lv assert that not any of

die existing parlies singly can form that Government to give national servile "hi, h the spirit of the times requires. and to which the people are jn-tly entitled. No mere fusion of names "ill do. and with my knowledge of the party system f am sure that tin one party will agree to lie absorbed by the other. A new meeting ground must he arranged, and a National I’arty must he formed, not only in name hut in the spirit of service and true appreciation of the country’s requirements.