PROPOSAL BY THE GOVERNMEET.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1418, 1 July 1915, Page 3

PROPOSAL BY THE GOVERNMEET.

A NATIONAL CABINET

details to be discussed

An important statement was made to the House of Representatives on Tuesday by the Right Hon. W. F. Massey (Prime Minister) on the proposal to form a National Cabinet. “I wish to say,” said Mr Massey, “on behalf of myself and the members of the Government that we are prepared to discuss and consider favourably any reasonable proposal to es tablish in this country a National Cabinet, thus following in a small way what has been done in the United Kingdom. I know that it is quite Impossible for the House as a whole to discuss the details of this proposal, and I don’t intend to attempt to do so. And I would just like to say this: that I think it is generally recognised that the business to be dealt with in the present session and perhaps for a long time to come will be such that it should not be dealt with on ordinary party lines. I think honourable members will agree with me in that proposal. I ought to say that my proposal refers only to the war period, and does not refer to any date beyond that. As soon as the war comes to an end my proposal, if it is given effect to, will also come to an end. I hope honourable members will take this matter into their serious consideration consideration to which by its importance it is entitled. Following up that point, I would like to inform honourable members I shall be prepared to confer and discuss this subject with the Leader of the Opposition at any time it may be convenient for him to do so.”

Sir Joseph Ward (Leader of the Opposition) ; The matter just referred to by the Right Hon. the Prime Minister is one of very great importance, and I cannot in an off-hand way profess to discuss a matter so far-reaching in its bearings. Until I entered this Chamber just now I had no idea of the intention of the right hon. gentleman to allude to this important matter. It is only right to say on behalf of this side of the House that no proposal of the kind referred to has been made by myself or any members of our party. Mr Massey : Hear, hear.

Sir Joseph Ward, continuing, said that of course the Prime Minister would recognise that the matter was one which would require to be carefully considered before he could express any opinion regarding it. He referred to the present state of affairs which the war had occasioned in all parts of the British Empire, and said that with a sense of his responsibility to our own country upon his shoulders he was most anxious to do everything possible to promote the well-being of New Zealand, and to strengthen the efforts that the Dominion was now making in the direction of assisting the British Empire. At present be could not do more than to say that the proposal put forward by the Prime Minister would be carefully considered by himself and those associated with him in the same general sense in which it had been brought forward. It, of course, would be perfectly well understood that an Opposition party in a minority could not and would not move in a matter such as this.

Mr Massey ; I quite agree with the opinion that the leader of the Opposition has. expressed. This is a matter that should not le dealt with hastily or without proper consideration. My reason for bringing it forward is that I feel very strongly that the energies of Parliament, the energies of every member of Parliament, should be given to promoting New Zealand’s share in the great struggle in which New Zealand, along with every other part of the Empire, is engaged, and to bring ing this war to a satisfactory conclusion.

Sir Joseph Ward : I wish to say on behalf of this side of the House, that nothing will be wanting on our part to promote the best interests of New Zealand, and to help the Old Country to bring this war to a conclusion, as far as our part is concerned. I want to take the opportunity of saying that I sincerely hope that those responsible in Great Britain for the conduct of the war will not allow any precipitate conclusion of the war until Great Britain and her dependencies are in a position to dominate the country which has thrown the world into this turmoil. (Hear, hear). The leaders held a conference to«day.