WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1930, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE POLITICIANS

LEADERS OF THE PARTIES

(Special Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, April 10

News' fl'om Botorua to-day is to the effect that the marked improvement in tjhe health of Sir Joseph Ward, which set in a fortnight or two ago, has continued, *and that it is expected tlie patient will return to Wellington in the near future. Not that his atendance at the Seat of Government just now is at all essential. The Prime Minister and Iris colleagues have been in office..for fifteen mouths—about the average length of the first dozen of the Dominion’s Parliaments —and Sir JoSeph’s colleagues all have shown themselves to be active and capable administrators, The quidnuncs have given up predicting an, early dissolution of Parliament.and an appeal to the constituencies that will put an end to the aspirations of both the United Party and the Labour Party; but the Reformers still are talking of a resuscitated party that will “sweep the country” and consign both United and Labour to oblivion’. • The developments of the immediate future, however, must depend largely upon the health of the United leader.

ON TOUR. The leader of the Reform Opposition is being' very cordially greeted by the rank and file of his party during his professional tour through the North Island. In processions of this kind he presents n better ’figure than does either the Prime Minsiter or the leader of th LabouE Party.' He has on his; side comparative youth, a rare gift of adaptability,' an intimate acquaintance with the country-side 1 , a nice sense of humour, and,', with the rest of his virtues a ready smile' and a cheery word tor everyone. Were lie as much a politician. as he is of a man lie would be irresistible on the hustings. But he is not. His manhood is obviously genuine ; his politics plainly are more or less artificial. Coming into the House cif Prepresetitatives nineteen years ago, rather as a follower of Sir Joseph than as an exponent of the Liberal principles of his leader, he has not even determined where his convictions stand save in respect to those essential to the making of the man. LAND SETTLEMENT.

The Hon. G. W. Forbes, the Minister of Lands and Agriculture, and incidentally Acting Prime Ministei, frankly admits that he wearies of ceremonials and functions and yearns to he relieved of these necessary services at the earliest convenient moment. Being a farmer he naturally takes a keen interest in farming and at the moment has set his heart upon making a success of the Government’s settlement proposals. He had been twitted with not acquiring larger areas and making provision for more settlers, he said to-day, but the country already has seen how both purchases and settlement might be over-done. The Government was anxious to facilitate sound settlement in every way possible —as, no doubt, other Governments had been— and towards that end it was using every means within its power. ■Sound settlement, however, meant settlement based on the best possible conditions—good for the settler and good for the State and this could not be achieved by planting men on the land and leaving jihem there to shift for themselvesi without further guidance. LABOUR’S DILEMMA.

The Labour Party is not finding the role of “Third -Party” quite so congenial a.s it promised to he when the general election gave neither of the other parties a majority and left Mr Holland and his colleagues with what they were pleased to recard as the “balance ,of power.” They certainly had the satisfaction of assisting the United Party in voting the Reform Party out of office; but this achievement, it would seem, ended, as it had begun, their privilege ns Government Mahers. They might have voted the Reform Party in again had they marshalled their forces against the United Party, but this probnblv would have led to a dissolution and they were not ready for another election forthwith. During the recess they have been talking of driving Reform and United into one camn, and so secure for Labour the status of Majesty’s Opposition : hut even wore this' possible, and finally accomplished, it would leave them w ; fh ,a very barren outlook. Labour would be much better employed in revising its, own policy.