WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1928, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

PARTY RUMOURS. SIR JOSEPH WARD AND LEADERSHIP. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, August 23

Doth Sir Joseph Ward and the United Political Party have reason to he gratified by the prominence given them in the 'Wellington morning paper during the last day or two. They have appeared in leading articles, parliamentary reports, correspondence columns, cable pages, open letters and many other places where enterprising politicians and ambitious party organisations delight to appear. The cause of all this gratuitous publicity is, of course, the statement that Sir Joseph Ward has been invited to accept the leadership of the United Party. If Sir Joseph Ward were foolish enough to do anything of the kind thousands of miles away from home he would do much more to alarm his political opponents than he would to please his personal friends. With the kudos of long Ministerial service and with many legislative achievements to his credit he would attract to his side numbers of electors of all political creeds who have no love for either Reform or Labour; but with the forces of both these parties arrayed against him he would have no chance of reaching the Treasury benches. For any lesser goal he would not he justified in entering the list.

UNITED TROUSERS. The “Dominion,” though perhaps taxing the current rumours too seriously, sums up the position plainly enough “These alarms and excursions aro strongly suggestive of internal difficulties,” it says. “It is easy enough to form a political party. A few men handed together with a fine-sounding name are sufficient. It is a simple matter, too, to find candidates, of a sort. The difficulty with candidates for parliamentary honours is not that they are too few, hut that they are too many. But it is immeaurably more difficult to find a leader with those qualities which stimulate the enthusiasm of his followers and inspire public confidence and respect in that measure which alone can ensure hope of success. So it is that the United Party dallies in the choice of a leader in the hope that something may turn lip.” A point the “Dominion” naturally does not stress is that there has been a great falling off in Reform enthusiasm since the last general election, and that many of Mr Coates’s former supporters will vote the ticket this year simply because there is no reasonable alternative. SUPERFLUOUS CANDIDATES.

That the Government itself has troubles in connection with the approaching election, apart from its timidity concerning the loyalty of some of its previous supporters, is obvious enough. Wellington East and MidCanterbury both are threatening to put forward two Reform candidates, and other constituencies are said to he in a temper to follow their example. The Prime Minister in and out of the House jested over the embarrassment he is •suffering through the popularity of hi* party, hut his humour does not ring true. It is not so much a matter of popularity as it is of expediency and opportunity. Reform, as it happens, is well represented in the present House in Wellington East and in the electorate district to he known in the new Parliament as Mid-Canterbury; but there are constituencies that would ho glad enough to change their representation without changing their party allegiance. This is one of the problems disturbing the Reform organisation at the present time and preventing the Prime Minister jesting with his customary facility. However he is a merry soul and probably will survive the ordeal. PROGRESS OF PARLIAMENT.

It is expected that with tho conclusion of the financial debate Parliament will settle down to the serious work of tho session. So far tho House has been doing little more than marking time and electioneering. The Legislative Council, though making tlie most of such opportunities for discussion as come its way. has managed to fill in only a few hours. The Religious Exercises ill Schools Bill was set aside for another year before the financial debate began, and tlie Government’s Licensing Bill and MrSide.v’s Local Summer Time

Bill arc the only items on the Order Paper attracting any considerable popular attention. The Licensing Hill looms larger in the public eye than does Mr Sidey’s Bill, because " local ” summer-time does not make the same appeal as did the larger saving of daylight. It is doubtful if the minor measure trill arouse a great deal of enthusiasm. Nor is licensing so much in Ihe air as it was last year. It will not 1 e at all surprising if the Prime Minister’s efforts to effect a compromise fail. The signs to-day are in feat direction.