POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 90, 17 August 1915, Page 7

POLITICAL.

THt NATIONAL CABINET. I>ish Piussb Association. Wellington, August 16. In the course of an interview with a representative of the Wairarapa Daily Mews, Mr J. T. Hornsby has been talking of the genesis, and possible exodus, of the National Cabinet, with much less reticence than is imposed upon the party leaders by the delicacy of their positions and the gravity of their responsibilities. Ho implies that the main difference between the .Reformers;, and the Liberals during the negotiations was the quota of representation from each side, and that when the Liberals obtained equality, through the intervention of the (Governor, the only serious obstacle to an agreement was removed. Mr Hornsby does not expect the Cabinet to he a happy family, but if the members can agree upon the incidence of the large additional taxation that will be required they should have no difficulty in hanging together through the life of the present Parliament, which, in. the event" of the war not being ended by the middle of 1917, will be prolonged for another year. THIS BUDGET. It is understood that the Financial Statement, which Sir Joseph Ward is now preparing, will be delivered towards the end of next week. If there should he any further delay there will he anxiety on both sides of the House and in the country, as it will mean that Ministers arc having some difficulty in reconciling their conflicting ideas, and are evenly enough divided to make a deadlock possible. What would follow upon that catastrophe no one likes to contemplate. Meanwhile the rank and file of both parties are promising themselves a rollicking time during the discussion of the Budget. “We arc all absolved from our party ties,” Mr Hornsby said to the interviewer, “and criticism will bo intensified. The of trial through which the proposals of the National Cabinet will pass will bo greater than when a party has to fight its measures through against the usual opposition.” Another member, who also dearly loves a go-as-you-please in a political debate, maintains that the right attitude would bo for the whole of the members outside the Cabinet to constitute themselves as opposition. DEFENCE MATTERS. Sir Joseph Ward and the Hon. R. McNab are at Palmerston North this evening, addressing a patriotic meeting, at which the local people arc hoping the Ministers will side with them in their effort to keep the further reinforcements away from Trentham. ! hat the local people will be disappointed goes wilhout saying, as Sir "Joseph and bis colleague know full .veil waiit is due to the Minister of Defence, but apart from the local patriotism—spine times stigmatised as parochialism—-which induces the Palmerston folk to believe they have an ideal training ground, the ease against Trentham does not grow less impressive as the days and the weeks go on. The finished soldier is not given to complaining, but a few of the men who left on Saturday for parts unknown carried away pleasant recollections of their old camp. The mistake the newspaper critics are making is in directing all their vehemence against the Minister, whose chief fault is in having an almost reverential regard for the opinions of the professional men by whom ho is advised.