POLITICAL SITUATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2095, 26 February 1920, Page 4

POLITICAL SITUATION.

DISCUSSED BY LEADER OF OPPOSITION.

Regarding (/ the political situation, the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, Leader of the Opposition, was asked by a Poverty Bay Herald representative whether it was likely Mr Massey would form a National Party, as lie had suggested during the course of the recent election campaign. Mr MacDonald said he felt sure that under present conditions, they would hear nothing more from Mr Massey about a National Party. His opinion was that if Mr Massey had the majority■ claimed for him then it was quite safe to say the 1 lime Minister would stick to The Massey party as against the National or any other party. With regard to the political aspect at the present time, Mr MacDonald said that until the Government was established with its full Cabinet he did not desire to make any comments on the position. “I do kn'ow,” he added, “that a great deal of dissatisfaction exists with Mr Masshy’s action or inaction in not selecting his Cabinet. There are many important public works throughout the Dominion which require immediate attention, and large sums of money have been voted by Parliament, but very little if anything so far has been done by the Government to seriously commence 'operations in connection with roads, railways, bridges and hydvo-elccti«c power schemes.” The latter*to-day he went on to say, was an urgent necessity. He felt sure there was' no more important work in the whole Dominibn, owing to the coal crisis, and the development of this source of power should he pushed along with all possible speed. It was hardly possible in this country, with its shortage of labour, to establish any now industries without cheap hydroelectric power. Wellington, with its great expansion, was already looking further ahead than the Mangahau scheme, and the people were fully convinced that Mr Parry’s scheme to link up Waikaromoana, and Mangahao schemes must be given uigenl consideration. Wairoa, Napier and other districts were all in urgent need of power.- He understood that a survey was being made of the transmission line from Vt aikaiemo.ina, and bo was strongly of opinion that before temporary schemes were, commenced nr ditterenl directions that those interested should make a strong ehorl to urge the Government lo lake up the matter in earnest as the Waikaremoana scheme fully developed would so much for the East Coast, Ilawkcs Bay, right down to Palmerston North. It is to he remembered, he added, (hat Waikaremoana offered "special facilities, as there were no dams required, and nature has provided everything there in the way of conservation of water power. In the matter of railway construction the line between Napier and Gisborne was also a very urgent matter, as well- as the Motu-Opotiki East Coast line. No serious at tempt had been made by the Government recently, although Cabinet was assured by Sir Win. Eraser that he had provision made to employ 15,000 men on the whole of the Public Works in New Zealand. But today there appeared to be difficulty in finding employment for 30 or 40 men. There was also the pressing question of further land for soldier settlement in this district. He thought that considering the elections were held on December 17th last, the Prime Minister was “flouting” the country in not selecting his Cabinet and getting on with the important works authorised by Parliament. There could be no question, said Mr MacDonald, that the appointment of a good live Minister of Public Works would be a great benefit lo the whole Dominion, and especially to the East Coast district. He could quite understand . that there were difficulties in connection with labour for these works, but felt confident that if a determined effort was made, a* very great deal of progress could be made almost immediately. The Government could not expect the sympathy and co-operation of the people, he declared, unless they fulfilled the promise made in connection with development work throughout this country. The present Government has been returned with a vote totalling 206,461, as against the total of other progressive forces amounting to 336,208, so that it behoved them to realise that they were holding office only by a large minority, and therefore must use all their energy to carry on the urgent and essential 8 works of the country. If an honest attempt was made to work on theso lines they would have the help and » co-operation of those in opposition 'to them politically.