THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 444, 2 March 1912, Page 5

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Speculation ia rife as to the course likely to be adopted by Sir Joseph Ward in pursuance of his declaration that he would resign the leadership of the Government. It ia stated that at the conlcusion of the present session a meeting of Liberal and Labour members will be held when efforts will be made to formulate a policy and reconstruct a Cabinet. An idea is growing that the only possible man for the new leadership is the Hon. T. Mackenzie, and there is no doubt that the present Ministry on resigning will make a recommendation to the party on the subject of the personnel of the new Ministry. The Premier's friends consider it would be inadvisable for him to delay his resignation, and the announcement, therefore, may be expected shortly after the session closes. The new Cabinet would thus be enabled to settle into working trim before meeting Parliament in June. It is reported in well informed circles that the leadership was offered to Sir Arthur Guinness, but the responsibility wa3 declined owing to advancement in years. MR VEITCHS' OPINION. During the course of an interview at Wellington, Mr Veitch said: "Now that 1 have carried out my pledge to vote against the Ward Administration, I am a free man to exercise my vote in support of the progressive principles I was returned to further." Far from being pessimistic about the present position, I am qui Us confident that there never was a better opportunity of establishing—and if established on proper principles of maintaining a good sound progressive government out of the elements in the present Parliament. No doubt it would be possible to get a conference of those elements in the House that are desirous of passing progressive legislation and from that conference to produce a combination which could carry on the business of the country and successfully achieve such needed reforms, notably a stiffening of the graduated land tax and bringing into effect important electoral and social reforms."