WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1927, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE CANDID FIUEND. TALKS TO PRIME .MINISTEP. (Special to “ Guardian.”) "WELLINGTON. .March 1. The “ Post ”, deeming it a public service, no doubt, to maintain the semblance of a newspaper opposition in the Capital City, addresses a few admonitory words to the Prime Minister. “At present,’- it reminds Mr Coates, “ his position is not nearly so strong as it was a year ago. The opening session of a Parliament fresh from the constituencies is always to some extent of a tentative or probationary character. The new House needs time to settle down to its duties, and on this occasion there was also a new Government with a Prime Minister, who, though he had already weathered one session, had never had any direct authority from the electors before. The probationary character of the present Parliament’s first session having thus been more marked than usual, the importance of the second one is likely to be proportionately - increased. The Prime Minister will therefore be wise to lose no chance of strengthening his position in anticipaton of the severer strain which the coming session may lie expected to impose upon a majority a good deal too strong and a team of colleagues not quite strong enough.” The sting of this admonition lies in its concluding sentence, which implies that Mr Contes is hampered by the magnitude of his majority and weakened by the mediocrity of his colleagues. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Among other suggestions the “Post” oilers to tlm Prime Minister is one to the effect that he should either end or mend tho present farcical position of the Legislative Council. “ One of the

most important items in the programme on which the Reform Party came into power after the General Flection of 1911,” it recalls, "was the proposal to make the Legislative Council elective. Flfect was given to this proposal by the Legislative Council of 1914. hut the operation of the measure which had been originally fixed for January I, ID 1 (i. was postponed owing to the Rolorm-ljiheral coalition which was formed in 1915 to carry on the war. Though three general elections have been held since the conclusion of me war . . . the Legislative Council still remains a dead letter on tho Statute-Book capable of being brought into life at any time by the gazetting of a proclamation to that effect. . . We suggest that 1 the man who gels things done ’ should get something done to bring this absurd anomaly to a close.” This is a perfectly fair representation of the position, but tho difli eulty which stands in the way of the Reformers is that -Mr Massey after fighting the election of .1911 largely on the plank of a Legislative Council elected under the proportional representation system declared some time before his death that proportional representation would bo a scourge to the country. THE COUNCIL’S PERSONNEL. 'l’he “ Post ” itself is not prepared to wait for the arrival of proportional representation or any other system to bring about an improvement in the personnel of the Council. “ The Government.” if states bluntly, “did itself no good by the appointments which it! made last year, but . . . self-interest conspires with duty to demand a more careful selection u• >" Before the end of June, the seals of no less than six members of tho Legislative Council will have been vacated by lapse of time, and before the end of the session, the number will have increased to seven. Some of these members muv reasonably

expect re-appointment, Imt certainly not all.” Tin's is preliminary to suggesting tlint Sir James Allen should he appointed to the Council and given the leadership of the Chamber. “ While Sir James Allen’s claims to a. seat on the Legislative Council may be regarded as irresistible,” the evening journal emphasises. “ it is also clear that lie has very strong claims to the leadership.” The appointment of Sir James to the Council would be regarded with approval by politicians of all colours, presenting, as it would, a very striking contrast to the appointments indicated by the ” Post ”. and his promotion to the leadership many people would expeet to follow as a matter ol course, lint the "man who gets things done” still has to display his enterprise in the political Held. Ai IXJKTER’S UNHAPPY LOT. . There are many other matters of even greater importance than the constitution and equipment of the Legislative Council to which the Prime .Minister will have to turn bis serious attention when he is relieved from attendance upon the Dominion’s royal visitors. During the last few days, for instance, the London butter market lias taken a very grave turn, so far as iNew Zealnnd is concerned, and even the ardent friends of “ control ” are beginning to wonder if this panacea for speculation and exploitation lias failed me confiding dairy farmers. “Controlled ” butter lias been selling in the great metropolis at the rate of 050 tons a week, such a mere drop in the bucket of supplies that the sales will have to be increased to 2,250 tons a week to ensure a clearance by the end of the season. Other supplying countries have managed to avoid the accumulation of stocks so effectually that tboh counters, so to speak, arc clear. Air Coates, so it is understood, looked into the operation of “ control ” -while in London and if is being taken for granted that lie lias a statement on the subject to make. People likely to be affected by such a statement will not possess their souls in patience a moment beyond the termination of the royal visit. Then there are unemployment, immigration, finance and a score of other problems facing the Government and crying aloud for the intervention of its leader.